


Deadly Star

by princess_Angelina



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Jedi Luke Skywalker, Lightsaber Battles, Movie: Star Wars: A New Hope, Parent Darth Vader, Post-Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Pre-Star Wars: A New Hope, Protective Darth Vader, Sith Leia Organa, Sith Training
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:40:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24344407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princess_Angelina/pseuds/princess_Angelina
Summary: Darth Vader finds his daughter on Alderaan shortly after Padmé Amidala's death. He takes her and raises her by his side. Soon Leia's Force sensitivity begins to grow. She becomes strong with the dark side and rises to be one of the most feared figures of the Empire.Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Obi Wan Kenobi, who senses a dramatic shift in the Force. After Obi Wan receives a message from an Alderaanian general, requesting his assistance, he and Luke prepare for their journey across space.
Relationships: Leia Organa & Darth Vader, Leia Organa/Han Solo, Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 71
Kudos: 204





	1. The Fall

Anakin had almost forgotten about the nightmare that had woken him up in a cold sweat. Padmé sighed in her sleep, her dark brown curls swept over her shoulders. The pearls on her nightgown clicked together as she rolled onto her back. He brought his hand to her stomach, feeling her breathe gently.  


He already was in love with the child inside of her. He hoped it was a little girl. She would be just as beautiful as her mother, and would be just as smart. He could see Padmé braiding their daughter’s hair, securing it into place with a dainty headpiece. Their daughter would run through the halls in flowing dresses, clutching flowers in her little hands. He could imagine picking her up and carrying her on his shoulders.  


Padmé shifted under his hand, her soft brown eyes opened dreamily. Anakin smiled, laying next to her. “Ani, what are you smiling about?” she teased. Her warm body snuggled against his chest.  


“Just thinking about our daughter,” he said in a soft voice. His metal hand curled around her shoulder and pulled her closer.  


Padmé pulled away, pressing a kiss to his lips. “A daughter? No we’re having a son,” she said. He chuckled, his hand playing with her curls.  
“How do you know?”  


Her eyes started to close again. “A mother just knows,” she mumbled before drifting back to sleep. Anakin pulled her close, kissing her soft hair. Her methodic breathing lulled him to sleep.

He was looking out over the lake, in the same place his wife and he had said their vows. The wind blew gently, lifting his hair off of his face. He still was wearing his Jedi robes, and his lightsaber was attached to his belt. The sun shined down, warming him.  


He heard the soft patter of bare feet rushing towards him. “Father,” his daughter’s voice exclaimed from behind him. He turned to see a small girl, no older than five, rushing towards him in a long blue dress. Her bare feet slapped the tiles and in her hand she held crumpled purple flowers. Her dark brown hair was woven into a braid, blue pearls laid in the strands. He bent down, picking her up into a hug. She smelled like her mother’s perfume and sunshine. She shoved the wilting flowers into his curls. “You’ve been gone for so long!”  


He smiled at her, his gloved hand curled around the end of her braid. “I know, little one! But I missed you every second I was away.” She smiled, her tiny finger running over the dark scar on his face. “Did you miss me?”  


She hesitated for a moment, thought passing over her intelligent dark eyes. He marveled at how much she looked like her mother, down to the wrinkle of her tiny nose. “Yes, I did.” She decided. She wrapped her small arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He smiled, holding her close.  


He saw Padmé come from around the corner, the yellow of her dress reflecting into her bright eyes. She leaned against the pillar, her smile brightening at the scene. She approached them slowly and planted a gentle kiss on their daughter’s forehead. Her hand squeezed his arm, her smile brightening when he turned his attention to her.”Welcome home, Ani.” 

He gasped in pain, inhaling clouds of ash. Hot tears ran down his face, his anger boiling in his gut. His hand clenched around nothing. His lightsaber was gone. Obi Wan was gone; he had left him here to burn. He coughed again, letting a sob wrack through his chest. He pushed himself through the ash, suddenly forced with a terrible realization. His limbs were gone. Charred stubs remained, still glowing with the warm embers embedded in his skin.  


He felt hands grabbing him and lifting him onto a stretcher. He violently coughed again, seeing dust fly from his lips. He gasped weakly, reaching for his master. “Padmé,” he whispered before the burning light faded around him, leaving him in blackness.  


Anakin was dead. Or, he thought he was. Maybe he had been for a long time. He saw flashes of Naboo, sunlight, and his wife’s smile. His wife who cried and begged him to come home. He hurt her. She would never let him near her again. The one person he never wanted to part with, the one person he sacrificed everything for, and he would never get to be with her again. A jolt of pain went through him. Did he kill their child? Is his daughter gone?  


He was forced awake as another wave of pain washed over him, making him cough wildly. He was strapped down to a cold metal table, droids buzzing around him. He felt a sharp pricking sensation in his leg, electricity pulsing up what was left of his thigh. He felt his fingers curl in pain. He heard one of the medical droids beep behind him, and his yellow eyes flew open. A heavy black mask was closing in on his face. 

“Lung damage,” he heard his master say next to his ear. He jumped, startled from his thoughts. They were staring out at the stars, watching the construction of his master’s weapon. His mechanical breathing met his ears. “We are working on a process to heal you, but for now the suit will keep your body functioning, Lord Vader.”  


Vader stared forward, listening to the people moving around him. He felt cold. He had been cold since he heard of her death. And it had been all his fault. “Master,” he said. “Did her child survive?” The question had been eating at him for weeks.  


Palpatine considered the question, his mouth parted with thought. The old man’s fingers curled around each other. “I believe you already know the answer to that, Lord Vader.” He was right. Even though he had felt his wife’s absence, there was still a faint light he could sense. It was far away, subdued. But he still felt the child’s presence in the galaxy.  


His anger rose in his chest. Obi Wan had taken his child away, hoping to hide her from him. A stranger was going to raise his daughter. He felt his fists curl as he looked out over the endless stars.  


He would find her. He would bring her home.


	2. The Lost Princess

“My Princess,” the tired nurse chastised. The cubby three year old twisted out of her grasp yet again, the unfinished braids tumbling loose down her neck. Her bare feet slapped the stone floor as she ran away with a giggle. The nurse stood, smoothing a stray brown hair away from her face, a small smile pulling at her lips. The child climbed onto the sill of her large window, staring out at the snow capped mountains. Her breath fogged the glass. “Princess Leia. Would you please sit still?” 

Leia turned to her, her bright brown eyes twinkled with childish mischief. Her wild brown hair had begun to frizz. The nurse sighed then sat next to the little princess. She began the braids again, sandwiching Leia between her knees so she couldn’t run off again. The child squirmed but eventually stilled, her tiny fingers tracing patterns on the glass. The nurse hummed quietly, the silver handle of the hairbrush catching the afternoon light. 

A few hours later, and with plenty of struggle from the headstrong little princess, the nurse finally had her dressed for the state dinner. She adjusted the dainty silver band on the princess’s forehead before placing her on the stone floor. Her white dress fluttered down to her ankles, her tiny silver shoes catching the light. Her nurse smiled down at her and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. 

They both turned towards the door as it opened. Leia let out a giggle of delight when she saw her smiling parents, dressed in their own regalia. She ran towards them, hugging her father’s leg. He bent down and scooped her up into his arms. “And how is my fair princess?” her father chuckled. Her mother smiled, pulling a tiny piece of lint from the fabric of her daughter’s dress. 

“I’m hungry,” Leia said. She wrinkled her nose and her face fell into a false pout, earning a laugh from her parents. 

“Well then we should not keep you waiting,” the Queen said, taking Leia in her gloved hands. Leia wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck. Bail took Breha’s hand, kissing her bare knuckles gently. The Queen set Leia down, taking her hand.

…

The banquet hall was one of the oldest rooms in the palace. Leia had always been fascinated by the carvings on the pale walls. If she hadn’t been in the presence of others, she would be running her fingers through the smooth engravings; sprinting down the lengths of the walls. 

Leia stood still, to the left of her mother and across from her father. A small army of strangers lined the long table, waiting for the Queen to allow them to sit. She could feel her mother’s eyes on her, pinning her in place. Finally, with a warm smile the Queen sat, her spine straight and her head held high. Leia felt a servant’s hands lift her into her tall chair, pushing her in gently. She imitated her mother, sitting straight with her hands folded in her lap. She looked down the table; one by one people sat, the sharp sound of chairs scraping the floor slowly came to a stop. 

Her mother watched the servants go down the line, pouring dark red wine into everyone’s crystal glasses. “Alderaan’s finest wine,” he mother said as she reached for her glass, “for our fine guests. Welcome, senators, to our home.” Leia reached for her small glass of water, holding it up with the rest of the guests. She watched everyone take a sip, a wave of praise going through the crowd as the tart wine hit their lips. Her father smiled at her, a twinkle in his brown eyes as he took a sip of his own wine. She followed his lead, bringing her water to her lips. 

She swung her feet underneath the table, eating slowly. She listened to her parent’s conversation. The hushed word “rebellion” kept meeting her young ears. She looked to her mother, who was directing a grey haired servant in a quiet voice. Her mother winked at her before turning to Bail. 

“I must say, Your Majesty,” a young man called from down the table. Leia turned her head, making eye contact with a man who couldn’t have been older than twenty. “The young Princess is exceptionally behaved.” 

Queen Breha smiled at the young man. “Why thank you. Yes, our Leia enjoys being a part of the politics. She has a promising future ahead of her.” All the eyes shifted to the young princess. 

Bail leaned over, looking at the man intently. “I’m sorry. I do not believe we’ve met,” he said in a friendly voice. The man stood and walked over to her father, extending his gloved hand. Bail stood to take it, looking the man in the eye.

“I am Greyore. I was sent instead of Senator Evidorn, I am his top assistant,” he said in a confident voice. Bail nodded. Greyore looked at Leia again, his gaze turned calculating. “He sends his regards. Queen Breha, I hadn’t realized you were pregnant.” 

Leia watched her mother’s smile leave her eyes. “It is no secret young Leia is adopted. I suppose the Senator may not have informed you of that. Please, return to your seat, the dessert course is about to begin.” The man nodded returning to his chair quietly. Leia leaned back, allowing her setting to be taken away. Her parents immediately began whispering to each other, their faces remained passive but she could sense their unease. “I was not aware Senator Evidorn was even invited?” her mother hissed at Bail. 

Leia watched the servants bring out brightly colored cakes, trays of hot mocoa, and bottles of sweet toniray. One of the mugs was placed in front of her, the white foam on top rose slightly out of the cup in a little swirl. Part of her wanted to drink the warm drink in one gulp then ask for more, but she knew that was not what her parents would want her to do. She tucked her small hands under her legs to keep herself from grabbing at the desserts too quickly. The guests applauded as the bottles were popped open, and the teal wine was poured into slim flutes. Leia leaned over to her mother, speaking in a similarly conspiratorial tone as her parents. “Why are you giving them the weak wine, mother?” 

Her mother chuckled, pinching her daughter’s round cheek. “They won’t know the difference, Leia,” she said kindly. She shushed her before standing slowly, holding up her own teal wine. Everyone stood with her, raising their glass in her direction. Leia reached for her mug, standing up on her carved wooden chair. She watched her mother take a sip without saying a word, and followed with the rest of the party. As soon as everyone sat, the brightly colored cakes and fruits began to be placed on the gilded plates. The chatter began to pick up again, her parents looking out over the party in silence. 

The doors to the banquet hall swung open, causing everyone to fall into silence. One of Breha’s servants came running in, out of breath. He ran to the head of the table, bowing to the Queen before leaning in and whispering in her ear. Her smile dropped, her face went pale. She leaned over and whispered in Bail’s ear. Leia slowly lowered her fork, looking her father in the eye. He swallowed before motioning for her nurse. “Take Leia to her room, do not open the door for anyone, we will come for her later tonight.” 

Leia was lifted from her chair and carried closer to her parents. “Goodnight, my princess,” her mother said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Her father took her in his arms, his hug was tight. 

“We love you, sleep well,” Bail whispered before letting her nanny take her away. Leia whined quietly, but allowed herself to be quickly carried out of the room. She watched her mother nod to the servant and take her father’s hand, squeezing it tightly. Her father watched her go, a strained smile on his face. She waved to the party as the heavy wooden doors slammed behind her. 

Her nurse walked quickly, faster than she normally did. “Why couldn’t I finish my dessert?” Leia whined. The nurse shushed her quickly, turning down the corridor, nodding to the two guards protecting the royal apartments. They nodded back, pulling the massive doors shut behind them. Fear began to pool in the pit of her stomach, she had never seen those doors closed. Nobody was speaking, and she felt like the palace was holding its breath. Her nurse practically ran up the stairs of her tower, holding the princess in one hand and her sweeping skirts in the other.

Leia was dropped on her plush bed, bouncing slightly on the springs. “What’s going on?” she demanded. The silver door swished shut behind them, silent as the night. The nurse bent over, typing a code into a small panel Leia couldn’t reach. Leia gulped as the lights in her bedroom shut off, her and her nurse surrounded by darkness. “I’m scared,” she whispered. The nurse shushed her as she lifted her off the mattress. 

“Princess,” the nurse said quickly, looking towards the door. “We are going to play a game, okay?” Leia nodded excitedly. The nurse swallowed, lifting the white skirts of her large bed. “So you and I are going to hide ok? And your parents are going to come find us when their party is over. But you have to stay silent or we lose the game. Do you understand?”   
Leia paused for a moment before happily crawling underneath the bed, cuddling close to her nurse. The woman lowered the white sheet. Her eyes were screwed shut, and she was clinging on to the girl tightly. Leia twisted in her grasp to face her, her eyes strained to see in the dark. She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by heavy footsteps in the hallway. 

They were unfamiliar. She felt as if an army had just gathered outside of her bedroom door. She felt the nurse’s arms tighten around her as unfamiliar loud noises came from the other side of the wall. Distant screaming carried into the room. 

Underneath it all, Leia could feel someone approaching. Slowly. Methodically. She sank back in the darkness, blinking tears out of her eyes. Her nurse pressed her lips to her scalp; she was shaking. 

There was a moment of complete silence, then a blinding flash of light. Leia covered her ears, the noise of the explosion deafening her ears. A faint ringing filled her head and tears splashed down her cheeks. The nurse’s hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her cries. She saw heavy white boots stomp across her stone floor. 

“Sir, there appears to be nobody in here,” someone said. There was a shuffling of boots and a distinct slow breathing sound. The nurse slowly twisted, hiding Leia’s body with her own. “The room is empty.” 

The breathing came closer. Leia crumpled her dress in her fists, her eyes screwing shut. “Then you obviously haven’t searched hard enough,” a deep voice said. It echoed through her bedroom, the energy radiating off of the man seemed to drown her. “She’s in here, I can feel it.” 

The young princess peeked over her nurse’s shoulder, watching men in white armor and terrifying helmets start ripping apart her bedroom. She looked at the black boots, noticing how still they remained. The mechanical breathing filled her head. She gripped her nurse’s sleeve, silently pleading for comfort. Before she could exhale, a pair of clunky white gloves reached under the bed and grabbed her nurse by the throat. 

Leia watched her nurse get yanked out from under the bed; the man in black boots turned towards her. “Where is the princess,” the low voice demanded. The nurse whimpered, her small feet dangling off the ground. Leia bit her lip and wiped away her salty tears. A sickening snap echoed through the room, and her nurse’s body crumpled to the ground like one of her broken dolls. A small cry left her lips before she could cover her mouth. 

The movement in the room suddenly stopped. The large black boots faced her. She heard the wood cracking around her, and she worried they were breaking her bed to crush her. She covered her head and curled into a small ball; she was shaking like a leaf. Slowly the bed raised, the moonlight flooded around Leia, illuminating her. 

Vader cocked his head, seeing the trembling girl. He guided the bed across the room. It landed with a soft groan. The young princess slowly looked up, her face red from crying. Her eyes scanned the stormtroopers, and narrowed with the instinctual urge to fight. But when she looked up at Vader, everything in her seemed to crumble. Leia let out a scream, high pitched and full of terror. She sat up straight, pedaling away from the man in black. The troopers rushed to grab her. “Wait,” Vader commanded. Leia screamed again, her face getting redder and tears streaming down her cheeks. She covered her eyes, sobbing into her arms. 

“Leave the room,” Vader said. His soldiers looked at him for a moment before quickly filing out of Leia’s bedroom. Vader approached Leia, crouching to meet her eyes. She turned away; her cries grew louder again. “It’s ok,” he said. “I’m not here to hurt you.” Her tiny hands flew to her ears and she shook her head violently. Her silver headband flew off and her intricately braided hair had started to tumble around her shoulders. He couldn’t help but sigh. You’re my daughter all right, he thought to himself. He slowly reached out to her, placing a heavy hand on her back. She went ridgid until he started rubbing small circles on her back. 

Leia slowly turned her head to him, her deep brown eyes shined with tears. She looks so much like her mother. She pulled away from his touch, wiping her face with her crumpled dress. “I don’t want you here anymore,” she demanded. Her chin wobbled with the threat of another fit. 

Vader let out a sharp breath, an imitation of a chuckle. “Leia.”

“It’s Princess Leia,” she said sharply. Her mother’s words played in her head. Do not let anyone strip you of your title. Especially your enemies. She curled back in on herself, refusing to look at the robotic man. 

“Princess Leia,” Vader said with, what he hoped, was a calming voice. She was still shaking. “You are coming with me.” She glared at him, her lower lip wobbled. He bit his lip, he realized he wasn’t handling this correctly. He could feel her despair and panic, bouncing around impossibly fast in her small body. “I’m your father. Your real father.” 

Leia shook her head. “That’s not true! My father is downstairs.” 

He sighed. This was really not going well. She couldn’t even look at him. He slowly reached up, a slow hiss coming from his mask. The assisted breathing cut off, Leia’s ears perked up. Vader set the face of his mask down beside her. He took a deep breath of the cool Alderaanian air, his lungs shook with the effort. She stopped crying; her eyes blinked in confusion. Her hand slowly traced over the eyes of his discarded mask. “You look so much like your mother,” he whispered. “I know you never got to know her, but she loved you very much.” 

She cocked her head, looking at the old scars on his face. She slowly brought her finger up, tracing the dark mark on his cheek. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere, my darling daughter.” Tears threatened to well in his eyes, but he blinked them away before Leia could see. “And I’m here to take you home.” 

“But isn’t this my home?” She asked. Vader shook his head, a smile growing on his face for the first time in a long time. 

“They took care of you while I couldn’t. But I’m here now,” he said, brushing a loose curl behind her ear. He took her small hand, allowing the Force to connect them. 

Leia was in a large room, completely different from anything she had ever seen before. Ships flew outside of the large balcony, and it was bright and sunny through the city. A young woman sat on the tan couches, absently running her fingers over her belly. Leia looked at her face, a strange sense of deja vu washed over her. She knew this woman, she had seen her in her dreams. She opened her mouth to say something when a young man in black robes came in, his smile was bright as the stars. He snuck up on the woman before wrapping his arms around her, kissing her cheek gently. 

Bail and Breha clutched each other’s hands tightly. Stormtroopers waited in the banquet hall, not allowing anyone to leave. They had watched Darth Vader and a small amount of his soldiers head towards the royal apartments. Breha was staring straight ahead at her abandoned dessert, her mind was racing. Had he found Leia? What was he going to do to her? He couldn’t possibly know who she really was. They had kept that a secret for a reason, there is no way he could have known about her. She looked up her eyes narrowing in on Greyore. Unless there was a spy. “You,” she said in a calm voice. The young man jerked to attention, his eyes widening with guilt. “How did you hear about this party? Senator Evidorn was not invited this evening.” 

Greyore’s mouth opened but snapped shut. His face had gone pale. Breha nodded. “Guards. Take him away,” she commanded. Bail clenched her hands right as several stormtroopers started walking out of the room. The doors flew open, and she could see Darth Vader holding their little girl in his arms. Leia was quietly babbling to him, her eyes animated and excited. Breha shot up, running across the room, only to be stopped by two stormtroopers grabbing her arms. 

“You can’t take her,” she screamed. Tears flooded her eyes and she reached for Leia, despite having no way to get to her. “Please, please don’t take my baby!” But it was to no avail. She was forced to watch Leia happily board Vader’s ship, not even looking back to say goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You would not BELIEVE the amount of research that went into this chapter. For a planet that was blown up within thirty minutes, there's a lot of information on it.


	3. The Force Within

Despite the dark chill of the unfinished Death Star, the little princess grew to call it home.

She was often carried on her father’s hip, or was seen toddling behind him as they went through the massive ship. Her quarters were adjacent to his; grey and black but complete with a closet full of dresses and a small library of datapads. She often snuck into his main room, gently tapping on the side of his meditation chamber. He would let it open for a moment and she would crawl inside, holding one of the glowing datapads in her small hand. She smiled up at him, handing him the story and crawling into his lap. Vader would remove his helmet as the air began to flow and she would lean on his shoulder, listening carefully to her father’s voice. Leia’s deep brown eyes would eventually drift closed, cuddled close to his dull heartbeat. And he would hold her close, just listening to her breathe.

He thought of Padmé. How she would practically be glowing if she could see the two of them like this. He could almost picture the three of them in her massive apartments; Leia and him sleeping on the couch, Padmé gently shaking him awake. She would probably insist on taking a holo-framed picture to keep on her bedside table, knowing full well Anakin would cover his face before she had the chance. She would laugh quietly before Anakin would tuck his daughter into her too-big bed and press a light kiss to her forehead.

As Leia grew from a chubby faced three year old to a talkative five year old, Vader began to sense her strength with the force. It started out small, her toys would change position or her glass at the dinner table would scoot closer to her before she was able to grab it. The Emperor had noticed too.

“Lord Vader,” the Emperor croaked at him. Vader turned from the Admiral he was speaking quietly to. “Where is your daughter today?” He looked to his feet, realizing the little princess had run off.

He turned to the Admiral, pointing him towards the door. “Find her,” he commanded in a calm voice. The man’s face went pale and he quickly walked away, looking high and low for the missing girl. Vader turned back to Palpatine. The old man’s face wrinkled into a smile; his eyes glowing yellow.

“She is growing powerful,” he remarked. “I’m sure you’ve sensed the Force beginning to surface within her.” Vader crossed his arms over his chest, looking out to the stars. He could practically hear Obi Wan’s voice in his head. _Don’t do anything stupid, Anakin_. Before he could think of a response he heard the ear piercing scream of Princess Leia. Both of them turned sharply, seeing the little girl ripping out her buns and pounding her fists into the man’s shoulder. Vader was no stranger to her tantrums; she had thrown herself on the ground and screamed until he relented or she tired herself out plenty of times before. The Admiral struggled for another moment before she managed to kick him in the ribs. Before anyone could react, Leia dropped to the cold metal floor like a stone.

Vader reached out his hand, dragging the Admiral by his neck. He caught the man by the throat, his fingers tightened. Leia took a deep breath before letting out a long wail; she stomped her feet and yanked at her long hair. Vader looked at her right as the console beside him sparked violently; a small fire danced over the buttons. Officers rushed over, patting the fire out with their gloved hands.

But Leia had stopped screaming. Instead she stared up at his master, disgust curling on her upper lip. Palpatine stood over her, his knobbled hands rubbing together in what Vader could only describe as glee. Vader dropped the fading Admiral to the ground; he stalked towards his daughter, feeling the need to block her from his master’s view.

He froze in place, his boots felt like they were glued to the metal floor. His master bent over, offering his warped hand to the little princess. She pushed her black skirts aside as she stood, ignoring the old man’s hand. Her wary brown eyes never left his. “Leia,” he croaked as she backed away from him. She backed into her father’s leg, and he immediately crouched down and picked her up, propping her on his hip.

Palpatine came over, catching her chin in his hand. Leia’s brows furrowed as he stared at her. “She strongly resembles her mother, don’t you think Lord Vader?” he remarked as he turned her head from side to side. Vader sensed his daughter's emotions turn sour and she wriggled in his arms. His master gripped her tighter. “But she has your strength. The very same I had sensed in you from the beginning.” He looked at his daughter. He knew his master was right, but he had hoped she would be a little older before she started manifesting.

“What are we to do with her then, master?” he asked in a low voice. Palpatine looked at him, his eyes practically glowing yellow with the idea he was cooking up.

“Train her,” he said dismissively. The old man let go of his daughter’s face before turning to leave the control room. Vader started following after him, holding Leia close. “We will see if she can survive it. Then, if she does, we will figure out what to do with her after that.” His arms impulsively tightened over his daughter. A million questions filled his head, but he heard one clear voice. _Protect her_ , Padmé's voice whispered to him. He bowed to Palpatine before whisking Leia off to their quarters.

He placed her gently on her bed, crouching on the floor next to her. Small red marks had bloomed where her cheeks had been gripped. She smoothed her black skirt, playing with the red embroidery on the hem. The only sound in the room for a few moments was his mechanical breathing.

“Leia,” Vader finally said, taking her small hands in his. He saw how soft they were, her nails clean and trimmed, her fingers still chubby with youth. She looked at him, innocence filled her eyes. Her dark brows furrowed with confusion. “You are very powerful. More powerful than you know.”

She tilted her head. “What do you mean?” she asked quietly. He paused, trying to remember how Qui Gon had put it all those years ago. “Are you talking about my magic?”

He chuckled, remembering he’s dealing with his little girl. “It’s not magic. Remember a few years ago, when I showed you that memory of your mother?” She nodded excitedly, a wide smile spreading across her face. “I used the Force. It’s an energy that surrounds us all,” he explained. “And you, my little princess, are one of the lucky few that received power from it.” He tapped her gently in her nose earning one of her bright giggles. “So I’m going to help you learn to harness this power, and you are going to grow so strong.”

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hugging him as tight as possible. He felt the light within her glow brighter when he held her to him. Vader let out a sigh. He hoped that light would never fade. His little girl was so bright and so pure. _I will protect her, Padmé,_ he thought to himself. _I will protect her until the last breath leaves my body._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you for all of your support so far, it has been really inspiring to see!


	4. The Tantrum

“No. Again,” Vader said as the chair dropped to the ground with a dull thud. Leia fell back; her hair had grown past her waist, a brown strand falling out of her long braid. She glared up at her father, defensive anger brewing in her deep brown eyes. “You must focus your energy, stop lashing out.” 

The little princess crossed her arms, her cheeks were red with frustration. “I don’t want to do this anymore,” she whined. She slowly stood, brushing off her loose white pants. With a huff, she flopped on the dark couch. Vader crossed his arms, trying not to snap at her. The last year of training hadn’t been easy on his daughter; her arms had lost the childish chub and her legs had started to get longer. He never wanted to push her too hard, feeling the ball of light within her shrink everyday. “Are you going to be at the Senate tomorrow?” she asked in a quiet voice. He could hear the tears in the back of her throat. He sat next to her, resting her legs over his lap. 

“Yes, Leia.”

She sat up, her dark brown eyes were rimmed with red. She rubbed away her tear tracks, plastering a fake smile on her cheeks. “Can I come with you?” While his breathing remained rhythmic, Vader momentarily felt as if the air had been sucked out of his lungs. It had been five years since he had found her, hidden away like a precious jewel. He patted her knee.

“Not this time,” he said softly. His daughter’s face crumpled in disappointment. He watched fresh tears spring into her eyes, that she quickly rubbed away with the heel of her hand. “Leia, I-”

“You always make me travel along with you, yet leave me locked away. Alone with the servants,” she hissed. She pulled her legs away, standing quickly. Leia’s long braid swished over her shoulder, and she tangled her long fingers in its ends. “I don’t understand why I’m such a big secret.” He saw the chair she had been practicing on start to shake with her energy. 

He watched as she slowly raised it from the floor, her eyes were screwed tight with fury. Her energy frayed at the ends, and the chair broke apart. The smoking pieces dropped to the floor. She whipped around, stomping her heavy black boots into the floor. She stormed past him, her smooth door hissed shut behind her. He heard a muffled scream and the sound of something hitting her wall. 

He slowly stood, walking out onto the spacious balcony overlooking the city. The sun was setting over Coruscant, small ships sped below his palace. He silently wondered if  Padmé  had been this difficult at eight. Had she also thrown tantrums? Or was she just as calm and reserved as she was as an adult? 

  
  


Maybe the little princess had gotten it from him. He remembered a few screaming matches with his old master. Obi Wan had always scolded him for being “temperamental”. He heard another loud bang from his daughter’s chambers, it sounded like she managed to flip her bed. 

  
  


A few hours later, Leia’s room had been silent. He motioned the door open, seeing her curled up on one of her large pillows on the floor. He sighed as he looked around at her destroyed room. Her heavy wooden bed was toppled over and halfway across the room. All of her datapads were scattered on the red carpet, her few toys thrown with them. He looked to her dimly lit closet, seeing she had managed to rip down every dress and throw it aside, as well as rip out all of her drawers. Vader was grateful she had tired herself out before she had accidentally hurt herself. She snoozed quietly, her face illuminated by the city lights outside. If she hadn’t just thrown the tantrum of the century, Vader would’ve said she was an angel. 

He crept in, his even breathing filling the room. He bent over, scooped his exhausted daughter into his arms, and carried her to his room across the hall. She curled into his chest, letting out a quiet snore. He laid her on his bed, pulling the black sheets over her. Leia mumbled something in her sleep before rolling onto her side. He sat beside her. His gloved hand brushed her loose hair away from her face. Maybe she really was an angel. 

  
  


The Emperor droned on to the Senate, his voice echoing through the cavernous chamber. Vader stood on his right side, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Tarkin was on the Emperor’s left, his pointed chin was raised high and proud. But Vader couldn’t hear what his master was speaking about; all his focus was on Bail Organa, who was glaring right back at him. 

Bail had grown thin in the last few years, and his hair had begun to grey. But the anger in his eyes flashed brighter than it ever had before. Vader cocked his head, remembering the few interactions the two of them had before his fall. He had always been a polite man; very close with  Padmé. Now, Organa kept to himself. The loss of his adopted daughter drove the man to a brief period of absence from the Senate. There were rumors spread; Alderaan was sending out scouts, scouring the galaxy for the lost princess. When Organa returned to his position, whispers of Leia’s death ran through the planets. Vader secretly hoped that one day, Organa would snap. Pull out a blaster and take a shot at him. 

Organa tore his eyes away as The Emperor dismissed the room. The platform they were standing on began to sink to the ground. Tarkin placed a hand on his back, “I need to speak with you, Lord Vader.” He couldn’t resist rolling his eyes; he could sense Leia was awake, and he never liked leaving her alone for too long. 

“Make it quick, Grand Moff,” he said in a low voice. They went off towards Tarkin’s small office in tense silence. 

Leia slowly climbed out of her father’s bed, rubbing her tired eyes gently. The sunlight was bright, but the apartments were cold. She picked her way to her room, expecting to see the mess she had made last night. The door slid open, a small pack of cleaning droids motered around, bleeping chipperly. She nudged one of the small droids aside with her foot before disappearing into her refresher. 

Her quiet handmaid brushed her long hair back, humming a soft tune under her breath. Leia found herself swaying slightly to the tune. She looked at herself in the mirror, watching her long hair be wound into intricate twists. She sensed the front door slide open and a man walked in. The hairs on her arms stood up when she realized it wasn’t her father. She quickly dismissed her handmaid, tying off the end of her swirling braid quickly. 

Leia squared her shoulders and entered the main room, prepared to throw every piece of furniture she could see. She saw Palpatine’s cloaked figure standing on the balcony, a wave of revulsion hit her in the gut. She cleared her throat, folding her hands in front of her politely. “Can I help you, Emperor?” 

The old man turned quickly, his yellow eyes bright even from across the room. The girl stood her ground, but scanned the room for her father. He wasn’t there. The Emperor smiled at her, making alarms go off in her head.  _ Father. Please come get me _ , she called out mentally. She wasn’t sure if the Force could do that. Or if she was even strong enough. “Princess Leia,” the old man croaked, motioning to the black sofa, “please have a seat.” 

“I’d rather stand.” 

He sat with a small groan, his creepy smile only growing. Leia approached, standing across from him, clenching her hands together tightly. “How is your training coming along?” She tilted her head, a smile frozen on her face. “I can sense you’ve grown stronger.”

“I suppose,” she said quietly. Her mind screamed louder for her father, and she shifted slightly on her bare feet. “My father has been training with me everyday.” 

He rubbed his knobled hands together. “Show me.” She took a step back, blinking quickly. “Don’t be shy, Princess. What have you learned?” 

Before she could focus her energy, her father stormed in. His long cape flowed behind him. He stepped in front of her. She took his hand, squeezing his fingers tightly. He blocked her from view. “Master. I wasn’t expecting you until later,” he said calmly. “Leia doesn’t enjoy unannounced guests.” She slowly peeked out from behind his leg, shooting a glare at Palpatine. 

“I meant no harm. I could tell the young girl is growing stronger, soon it will be time for her to build her lightsaber,” he croaked out. He smiled up at Vader before crouching down a little to look into Leia’s eyes. They stared at each other for a beat before he patted her cheek. She winced away, watching him leave the apartments in a swirl of his long robes. 

Vader immediately brought her in front of him, taking her face in his hands. She could barely see his eyes through the shades of his helmet. He watched her dark eyes flood with tears and her chin wobbled. He reached up, removing his helmet and placing it on the floor beside her. He hugged her to his chest, his hand burying itself in her braid. 

“I didn’t think you could hear me,” she whispered. 

“I’ll always be able to hear you,” he said. His arms tightened. She sighed as she started to cry, wrapping her small arms around his neck. “I love you, Leia. I’m never going to let anything bad happen to you.” 

She sniffed, her small hand found his sparse curls. “Do you promise?”

“I promise.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...clearly we all hate Grandpa Palps. Thank you for all the comments and kudos on this work!


	5. The Nightmare

Leia floated calmly, her deep eyes were closed and her brow wrinkled occasionally with concentration. Vader watched the few pieces of furniture in their apartments begin to levitate as well. He crossed his arms, trying to keep his breathing as quiet as possible. Her energy finally settled, the chaotic undertones faded away. And Leia’s face relaxed into a small smile, her chubby cheeks flushed.

He couldn’t help but feel the warm glow of pride in his chest. He had promised to teach her how to make a lightsaber after she learned to control herself. Finally, after months of working towards it, the little princess was finding her balance.

“You’re teaching her wrong,” Palpatine croaked beside him. As if on cue, Leia’s energy spiked; Vader could almost feel her sneer. “She’s too calm. She should be using her feelings to control her power.”

Leia’s eyes flew open, flashing with frustration. Her fists curled as she brought herself to the floor, bringing the heavy furniture crashing beside her. “Master,” Vader turned towards the small man. “I told Leia that she needs to understand how the Force works before she gains strength in one side or the other.”

“And why would you do that?”

Vader felt his anger grow quickly. He refocused on his daughter, who stood with her arms firmly crossed. “Because she's eight years old. She has nothing to be angry about yet,” he replied calmly. Palpatine let out a dusty laugh.

“Leia,” his master motioned for his daughter to come closer. She glared in defiance for a moment before slinking over to the two of them. “Has your father taught you the Sith code yet?” She looked up at her father, waiting for his approval to speak. He gave her a slight nod.

She stood up straighter, looking at the old man’s yellow eyes. “Peace is a lie. There is only passion.” He began to smile, Leia took a cautious step back. “Through passion I gain strength. Through strength I gain power. Through power I gain victory.” She looked up at Vader, her brows furrowed. He nodded encouragingly at her. Her lips puckered as she tried to remember the last lines, avoiding Palpatine’s hungry gaze.

“Through victory,” the man croaked out, “my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.” Leia mumbled the last two lines back to him, fidgeting with the edge of her white tunic. “Maybe it’s time I take over her training.”

Vader stepped into his master’s eyeline. “Master, I do not think that is necessary, Leia is progressing well under my direction.” Leia’s eyes shifted between the two of them, her father could feel her anxiety spiking. “I am sure, with a few more years of understanding, she will be able to fully commit to the Dark side.”

Palpatine turned to leave, a sick smile on his face. “Perhaps, now is the time to tell her the story of Anakin Skywalker.” Vader froze, his head turning slightly to his master. “His mistakes will surely inspire her to take her training more seriously. Time is of the essence, Lord Vader. And I’d hate for your daughter to perish because you hadn’t trained her properly.”

Vader crossed his arms, looking down to his frustrated child. She shifted anxiously on her feet, waiting for his master to leave. “Yes, master,” he said feeling an all too familiar pit of fear and sadness settle in his stomach.

Leia peeked around his legs, watching the door slide closed behind the old man. “Father,” she said as she collapsed on the floor. Her cheeks were still red with anger. “I do not like your master.” He couldn’t suppress his smile. “He keeps threatening me.”

Vader sat on the chair beside her, patting her smooth hair. “It is not easy to learn the ways of the Dark Side. Many die in their pursuit.” She stood and crawled into his lap, snuggled against his muffled heartbeat. He held her tightly, rocking her back and forth gently. “What were you seeing while you were meditating today? You looked very peaceful.”

Leia didn’t answer for a moment, a small smile curled onto her face. “I saw a little blonde boy. Covered in sand, and playing with some droid parts,” she recounted. Her bare feet swung peacefully. Vader paused, thinking about his childhood.

“The Force works in mysterious ways, it seems,” he said as he held her tighter. She smiled, but let out a small yawn. “You’ve worked hard today, little princess. How about you go to sleep, we leave in the morning.”

“Back to the ship?” she asked quietly.

“Back to the ship.”

....

He looked out on the lake of Naboo, the sun shined in his eyes and the breeze ruffled his curls. He looked down, running his fingers over his skin. Vader whipped around hearing a polite giggle from behind him. “Padmé?” he called; he started into their villa.

He saw the edge of a floating purple dress disappear around the corner. He started to follow it before he heard another person run behind him. He turned quickly, seeing his daughter peeking out from behind a pillar. She smiled at him before taking off, her white dress hiked up above her knees. “Anakin,” his wife called. He felt hypnotized by the sound of her voice, crystal clear and strong as it had ever been.

As if he were on a cloud, he followed her voice through the corridors. He followed her trail all the way to a lavish dining room. The sunlight streamed in through the pillars, falling on a large table covered with every delicacy of Naboo.

And there Padmé sat, dressed in a deep purple gown. Her brown eyes sparkled as he came running in. He couldn’t help but smile; rushing towards her and collapsing at her feet. He gazed up at her, resting his hands on her thighs. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his.

He forgot what it meant to be warm. But when his wife’s lips met his, he felt like all of the sunlight in Naboo gathered in his heart. She pulled away, their foreheads pressed together. “I’ve missed you too, Ani,” she finally replied. She squeezed his hands, looking into his eyes. “Sit.” He sat on the chair beside her, bringing her soft hand to his lips. Her warm eyes were filled with tears, and though she was smiling her chin wobbled.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. She laughed a little.

“How many times are you going to say that?”

He paused, looking at their entwined hands. “Until the day I die.” She leaned against him, a small tear escaping and landing on his light tunic.

“And when are you going to forgive yourself, Ani?” Padmé asked.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently. “I don’t think I ever could.” They stayed like that, watching the small waves beat against the rocks. Small white clouds drifted over the perfectly blue sky, and he could hear the breeze whistle through the marble halls.

“Tell me about my daughter,” Padmé asked as she pulled away. She started cutting into a bright yellow fruit.

Anakin took a sip of his bitter wine. “You’d love her. Leia has all of your beauty and your brains.” His wife smiled thoughtfully. “She is so bright, she might be chancellor by the time she is sixteen. And she’s taken to her training so well.”

Padmé listened with a grin on her face as he told her of the last few years of Leia’s life. He told her about her meditations, and how close she was to building her first lightsaber. Then he paused, and his wife’s brows wrinkled in concern. “She has started to see my past. As a slave boy on Tatooine. And I don’t know how she’s doing it.”

The door at the end of the hall creaked open, snapping the two of them out of their conversation. Leia poked her head in. Her hair flowed down her back. He motioned to her, opening his arms for her. She hesitated for a moment, before looking behind her and whispering something. She ran towards her father, her boots slapping the marble floor. He caught her as she jumped into his arms and looked towards the door.

A small blonde boy looked around the room cautiously. He sucked in a breath, recognizing the boy’s wide blue eyes. He was even wearing the dusty white tunic and tan pants Anakin had burned so long ago. He looked down at Leia who smiled kindly at the younger version of him, motioning him into the room.

Suddenly it became very dark in the room. Vader turned and saw heavy clouds had gathered over the lake, thunder rumbled in the distance. He looked down at Leia, her eyes glowed bright yellow and a jagged burn surrounded her left eye. He shook his head. Padmé touched his arm, she was ice cold. He turned to her, she was in her burial clothes, her eyes glazed over white. He put Leia down, backing away from the scene. The young Anakin followed him with his eyes; he raised his right arm, and Vader sobbed seeing the stump of his limb. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, feeling the heavy leather of his suit’s gloves. Hot tears ran down his cheeks. “ _Anakin_ ,” Padmé whispered, taking his wrists in her hands. “ _Protect her_.” He kept his eyes shut.

“ _I don’t know if I can_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all know that the blonde child Leia is seeing ISN'T young Anakin. The connections are starting, the plot is moving, things are getting REAL.
> 
> Thank you for all the warm comments! It brightens my day to see so many people enjoying this story. I really didn't know if this would take off, most people prefer Vader and Luke and ignore Leia entirely. So I'm happy people are loving this AU as much as I am!


	6. The Golden Weapon

Leia clutched the kyber crystal in her fist. Her hand shook with effort; her energy pulsing into the small rock. She took a deep breath before pushing more of her energy in. Then she felt everything click, her connection to the crystal solidifying like a bridge. Slowly she opened her palm, letting the glow wash over her.

Her crystal was a vibrant purple. It pulsed with energy. Leia let out a breathless chuckle. It was warm in her hand, she could almost feel the weight of her future lightsaber. She turned, running out of the dark cave into her Father’s legs. Vader turned around, scooping her up onto his hip with an exaggerated groan. 

“You’re getting big,” he said tapping her nose with his finger. She giggled as she waved her closed fist in his face. “Let me see.” 

Slowly she unfolded her hand, revealing the purple crystal to her father with pride. His mouth went dry, the pit of fear in his stomach grew. She smiled, waiting for him to commend her. He slowly put her down, holding out his hand to her. “What’s wrong?” She asked quietly, looking around for danger. 

“Give me the crystal, Leia,” he demanded. She pulled her hand away, glaring at him. 

“No it’s mine.”

“Leia, this is not a discussion,” he said. “Give me the crystal.” Her glare intensified, her jaw set. Her arm started shaking as he narrowed in on her, his Force bringing it around to the front. Leia tried to resist, pushing against him mentally. But her hand opened, and Vader snatched the purple crystal from her. Leia’s face screwed up and tears burst from her eyes. 

He closed his hand around it squeezing tightly, bleeding the crystal in his fist. The bright purple glow fizzled out, until red peeked through his fingers. He handed the red crystal to his daughter, walking away before she could begin her tantrum. “Get her on the ship,” he commanded two waiting officers. They saluted to him, before hurrying over to the princess. 

She collapsed in the snow, holding her ruined crystal in her hands. The tears she shed were silent. The officers approached her slowly, knowing how unpredictable her tantrums could be. She looked up at them, something was missing from her normally bright eyes. “I suppose it’s time to go,” she whispered. She tucked the rock into her wide black belt. She brushed off her knees, wrapping her white cloak closer to her body. The two officers saluted, then escorted her back to the waiting ship. 

Vader sat at the pilot’s seat, shocked at what he had just done to Leia. He had hurt her. He told himself he would never hurt her. He used the Force on her, another thing he promised he would never do. He watched her face fall over and over again in his mind as her crystal burned red in his glove, the tears flowing down her face. 

He sat up straight as Leia came aboard, sitting in the co-pilot's seat beside him. He sent the two officers to their own ship, closing the hatch behind them. Leia wiped her face before reaching forward and starting to turn on the controls. He mentally tried to reach for her, but her mind was guarded, her energy pulled as far away from his as possible. He let out a sigh as he directed their small craft out of the atmosphere, leaving the snow covered planet behind. Leia kept her gaze frozen forward. 

“You look a little cold,” her father said. She didn’t move to respond, but her dainty sniffle seemed to confirm it to him. “I should’ve made sure you wore a warmer cloak.” She folded herself tighter, trying to hide her tears from him. The red crystal swirled around her fingertips, catching the dashboard’s faint lights. “Leia. I know you’re angry with me, but please understand I was just trying to protect you.” 

She shot a glare over to him, letting the red crystal clatter to the floor. The ship pushed into hyperdrive, the stars blurring around them. He slowly turned to look at her, feeling her emotions open back up to him. Although her face was ice cold, her anger flared like a sun. “It couldn’t be anything but red.”

“And why not?” She snapped. He internally winced at her tone, suppressing his rising frustration. 

“Because if he had seen, you would be taken from me,” he said. Her face softened for a moment, her anger cooled. 

She nodded, leaning back in her chair. He patted her knee, trying to hide the fear choking him. “I understand. You did what you had to do,” Leia mumbled. He could sense how furious she still was. He hoped one day she would truly understand. He turned forward, taking the controls in his hands. Her eyes started drifting shut, and the tension soon rolled off her shoulders.

  
  


Leia sat across from the blonde boy, watching him polish a piece of dusty silver. He didn’t notice her at first; he whistled quietly to himself. He was missing one of his front teeth, and his nose had a smear of oil on it. He looked up, dropping the part with a shocked gasp. 

“You’re back!” He said excitedly. She nodded; she couldn’t help the smile spreading across her face. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. She froze for a second before hugging him back, warmth spreading in her chest. 

He pulled away, his blue eyes darting between hers. “How did today go?” She asked excitedly. 

“Uncle Owen said no,” he said with a frown. “Apparently I’m ‘too young’ to drive a speeder. He yelled at me before I even started the engine.” Leia patted his arm, trying to give him a hopeful smile. He brushed off his white tunic, moving the part aside. “Show me the crystal! What color did you get?” 

She hesitated, feeling the crystal materialize in her pocket. “Promise you won’t be disappointed?” He nodded excitedly, reaching his dirty hands towards her. She pulled it out, looking away from him. She felt him grab it out of her hands with a gasp of delight.

“It’s beautiful!” He said twisting it in his hand. She looked in confusion. Her purple crystal glimmered in the sunlight. 

“But,” she started, taking it from him. Then she remembered she was sleeping, the crystal wasn’t real. Just her memory. “Nevermind,” she whispered, handing it back with a happy smile. 

He started to chatter about his day with his family, telling her that they were going to have a harvest soon. “My birthday is right after! Aunt Beru promised to make me my favorite dinner and I might get sweets too!” 

Leia laughed. “My birthday is soon as well. I’ll be nine,” she shared. She rocked back on her heels. “My father normally gives me a surprise that day. One year he gave me this little cake, he said it was from the planet...Alderaan? I think that’s what it was called?” She remembered the strange sense of nostalgia that had washed over her that day. She took the end of her braid in her fingertips, twisting it tightly. 

He reached forward, taking the braid from her and looking at her dark hair. “Why can’t we share our names?” They stared into each other’s eyes. “I never know what to call you.” 

She shrugged. “Just a feeling I have. I don’t think it would be a good idea,” she admitted. She pulled away, her face going serious. “Don’t you agree?” 

He paused for a moment, his bright face clouded over for a moment. But he smiled at her again, “I think I have the same feeling! Or maybe I’m just hungry.” They both fell into a fit of giggles. 

She felt her body lurch as the ship started slowing down. She opened her eyes, seeing the Death Star floating before her and her father. Leia sat up, rubbing her tired eyes. She reached to the floor, finding her ruby colored crystal. Her fingers curled around it, a small smile on her face.  _ At least it’ll always be purple in my memory _ , she thought.  _ And at least my friend didn’t have to see what my father did _ . 

Leia held her completed lightsaber in her hand, her eyes trained in her father and his master. The throne room was dark and cold, and Palpatine made her take off her cloak before beginning. 

Her father stood stern, closed off from her completely. She looked from him to the sitting Emperor. She slowly raised her hilt in front of her, eyeing the smooth gold lines. “Ignite it,” the old man commanded. Leia glared at him briefly, before refocusing on her hilt. Her thumb pressed the small golden button as she focused her Force on her crystal. With a quiet roar, her red blade flared to life. 

“I see the little princess has picked her side,” Palpatine chuckled. Vader stiffened beside him, his eyes trained on his daughter. She spun the blade once, watching the light arc around her. Her eyebrow cocked with confidence. “Congratulations, Lord Vader. I’m sure you must be very proud of your daughter.” 

Vader nodded, watching her test the weight of her weapon. He watched a piece of metal fly off the wall, hurtling towards her. He bit his tongue, knowing it was all part of her training. 

As if in slow motion, Leia felt something approaching her. She straightened, turning to see a piece of sharp metal flying through the air. She winced away, swinging her lightsaber in front of her. With a hiss, the metal was shorn in half, falling to the floor. Her eyes fell on the glowing metal before looking to the Emperor. “Her instincts are sharp. Her training may continue. Leia, you are dismissed.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for the people asking, yes Leia is going to go dark in this fic. This is the start of her "fall". The one thing I noticed in my research is that the Sith never have children associated with them, and they don't have a way to train them. Which is why Leia would be considered a "Grey Jedi" as of right now. She still uses her emotions to use the Force, but doesn't have the anger, hatred, and trauma that requires a force user to rely on the dark side. And since she doesn't remember her kidnapping (because she was a little too young) she can't rely on that traumatic memory to fuel her power. But with her father breaking her crystal, and what will be coming next ;), Leia is soon going to become the Sith Lady we are all waiting for!
> 
> And we finally get to see baby Luke! The boy!!


	7. The Broken Mirror

Leia collapsed on her bed, her hair sticking to her face. Her training had been exhaustive today, bouncing from battle training to strategy planning to ship building. She let out a humorless chuckle.  _ It seems father is actually trying to work me to death _ , she thought to herself. She rolled over, wincing as the sharp edge of her saber dug into her hip. She sat up, pulling off her belts and taking off her heavy black boots. She fell back, wondering if she wanted to change before her mediation with her father. 

A beautiful brunette woman sat beside her on her bed, stroking her hair away from her face and humming an unfamiliar tune. Leia rolled over, looking up at her. The woman was wearing a rippled blue dress, with flowers dotted in her dark brown curls. She looked down at her, pinching Leia’s round cheeks. Her hand went back to Leia’s hair, calmingly stroking it back. The tune was intoxicating, and the girl found herself curling closer to her mother’s legs. Suddenly the humming stopped, she opened one of her eyes, looking up to her mother. The woman was clutching her throat, gurgling quietly. Leia jerked upright; the room felt hotter suddenly. Her mother’s warm brown eyes faded to a dead white, her skin growing pale. “Please,” she whispered. Leia down at her gloved hand; it was choking her mother, shaking with the Force. 

She jerked awake with a gasp, ripping her leather glove from her neck. It was completely dark. It felt like there was someone in the room with her. She stood quickly, grabbing her lightsaber from the floor. Leia took a scan of the room, her brown eyes narrowed. Her finger twitched on the hilt of her blade. “Leia?” Her father called. 

“Coming." She scanned the room one more time before motioning the door shut behind her. Her father sat at the smooth, dark table; his hands folded in front of him. Her dinner sat on a cold silver plate. She sat carefully, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. 

“You missed our meditation,” Vader said in a low voice. Her face looked too pale, the circles under her eyes were darker than ever. When she reached for her fork, her hands were shaking. 

“I know,” she said softly. “I fell asleep, it won’t happen again.” She chewed thoughtfully for a moment. “Could we do one after dinner?” 

Vader paused, surprised she was willing to continue with her evening. “Leia, you are exhausted.” She looked up defensively, her eyes flashing with challenge. He chuckled. “I was once like you, so eager to learn. But believe me, it is easy to overexert yourself.” She didn’t hide the disappointment clouding her face. 

She placed her fork down politely. “But I want to. I need to clear my head.” Vader tilted his head, watching her curl the end of her braid around her fingertip. “I had a nightmare.” 

Ice ran down his spine. His mouth was suddenly dry, flashes of his suffering wife played in his head. “What was it about?” He asked gently, trying to hide his panic from her. She shook her head, taking another bite of her meal. “Leia. What did you see?” 

Her eyes darted up to meet his. “My mother.” She pushed away from the table, and walked around behind him. She draped her arms over his shoulders, hugging him tightly. He patted her arm, feeling her rest her head against his cool helmet. “What happened to her? You never told me where she went.” 

He could see Mustafar in his mind. The heat of the lava almost matched the burning fury within him.  Padmé gasped, her delicate hands clutched her neck, grappling his invisible grip. Obi Wan screamed at him in the distance, begging for him to stop. He remembered the rumors. Whispers of Kenobi sneaking off to her quarters, siring a child. “She’s gone. I lost her many years ago.” 

She felt a pit of sadness in her gut. “Oh,” she said softly. She thought of her mother’s soft touch and gentle voice. “I’m sure it was nothing then.” She felt his heavy glove stroke her arm comfortingly, and could imagine her father’s warm smile. “Can you show me more memories of her?” 

“Not tonight. I can sense your exhaustion,” he said softly. She pressed a kiss to the cheek of his helmet. “And don’t be late in the morning.” She pulled away, feeling the chill of space set into her bones. 

The lights chased away the shadows in her room. Leia wished that her mother was sitting on her bed, ready to read to her and braid her hair. She let out a small laugh at her own childishness; roughly rubbing away a tear that slipped out from the corner of her eye. She slowly folded her clothes, and released her long hair from its tight braid. She wiped away more tears, thinking about how gentle her mother’s touch had been in the dream. _ How can you miss a woman you’ve never even met? _ She wrapped herself in her dark blanket, gazing out of her large window. The stars drifted by the ship, bright pinpoints of light in the endless expanse of darkness. 

Soon her lights drifted off, leaving her surrounded by the dark. It filled her like water, holding her close. The longer she looked, the more the stars began to blur together until her eyes finally shut. 

She rubbed her eyes, surrounded by hot air on a burning planet. Leia looked around, seeing a large silver ship behind her and a dark building across a bridge. She stumbled away from the bright ship, tripping over her heavy boots. She found her stride, heading towards the bridge. 

She saw a figure jogging towards the ship, his dark cloak flying behind him in the hot wind. Leia froze, hearing the ship’s hatch hiss open. A heavily pregnant woman came running out, her hip length braid brushing past Leia’s arm. The two collided into a tender hug, her face buried itself in the man’s chest. 

Leia studied the man’s face. Her father held the woman closer. She crept nearby, shielding her face from the burning ash in the air. He had only one scar down his face, and his head was full of wavy hair. “Father?” she called, hoping to catch his attention. The couple pulled away from each other, and she stared up at the profile of her mother. 

“What are you doing out here?” her father asked worriedly. Leia snapped to attention, ready to respond. 

“I was so worried about you,” her mother said quickly. She blinked, her mother’s voice echoed in her head. She was panicking, her breath coming out heavily. “Obi Wan told me terrible things.” 

_ Obi Wan?  _ Leia thought. “Who’s Obi Wan?” she asked the man, but it was like she wasn’t there. 

“What things?” His voice was strained. She pouted; he never ignored her before. She opened her mouth to ask again, but her mother continued, tears spilling down her face. 

“He said you turned to the darkside,” she panted.  _ Turned?  _ The woman shook her head. “That you killed younglings!” Leia stumbled back as her father glanced in her direction. 

She fell to the ground, realizing the heat had melted away. She was in an all white bedroom, and she could see snow capped mountains from the large windows. Nostalgia washed over her, leaving her breathless.  _ Where am I now?  _

She stood, brushing off her dark pants. Her gaze caught the intricate carvings on the wooden walls, tracing them up to the high domed ceiling. She heard the distant fire of blasters, and the steady marching of troopers. She heard a tiny whimper from underneath the heavy bed, her eyes darting over to it. 

As she crouched down to look underneath, the door blasted open. 

  
  
  


Leia jerked awake, her chest heaving. Her eyes still burned as if the ash was stuck in the air, and she felt as if she hadn’t slept at all. She fell back against her pillows, clawing her hair away from her face and neck. 

She slowly crawled out of bed, her bare feet recoiling from the cold metal of the floor. The lights slowly came on, her eyes fell on the mirror across from her bed. Her hair was impossibly tangled and her eyes were rimmed red. She had heard the people around her compare her to her mother, but she never felt like it was further from the truth. She tore her eyes away, reaching for the heavy silver brush on her table. 

  
  


Vader held in his worry as Leia was hit with another small laser from the floating droid. She let out a furious hiss before swinging her saber and cutting the orb in half. She pulled off the blindfold dropping her weapon to the floor. He could see the exhaustion in her eyes, and the tension in her stance. “You didn’t sleep well.”

She turned to him, her eyes flashing bright. “Who is Obi Wan?” 

Vader froze. “Where did you hear that name?” She shrugged, sitting on the ground with a huff. “You’ve been rather curious lately.”

Leia adjusted the buckles of her boots. “I heard it in my dream.” She slicked back the hairs escaping from her large bun. “At least, I think it was a dream.” Vader crossed his arms, trying to see her thoughts. He saw a flash of Mustafar, the burning air filling her lungs and the ash singeing her eyes. 

He crouched in front of her, picking up her golden weapon. “Obi Wan is a Jedi Knight I fought many years ago.” She looked up at him, taking her weapon carefully. “Before you were born.” Her face seemed to beg for more. “Who told you about him?” 

She twisted the hilt in her hands. “Mother was telling you about something he said.” 

He sat up straight, realization washing over him.  _ How is she seeing my memories?  _ He wondered to himself. Her powers, while strong for her age, wouldn’t be able to hold a candle to his. Vader took her hands, helping her stand. He pulled her into him, hugging her tightly. They stood together for a moment before he pulled away and crouched to look into her eyes. “Go get some rest, we are taking a trip tomorrow and you need to be clear headed.” 

Leia sighed in relief as she settled into her bed, her clean hair flat against her back. Her eyes followed the stars beyond her window for a moment, but before she realized it, she drifted off to sleep. 

She coughed as she inhaled a cloud of ashy air. She was back on the burning planet, right in front of her parents. Her mother backed away from him, shaking her head in horror. Leia came closer, reaching for her hand as it dropped. It passed through like she was grasping for air. “Obi Wan was right,” she gasped. Leia looked between the two of them in fear, sensing her father’s anger. “You’ve changed.”

Her father looked away, his eyes briefly flashing yellow. His jaw was clenched in frustration. Leia recognized the expression, she had seen it hundreds of times in her own reflection. “I don’t want to hear anymore about Obi Wan,” he said in a growling voice. “The Jedi turned against me. Don’t you turn against me.” 

_ The Jedi?  _ She thought. She rubbed her eyes, feeling tears prick her skin. 

“I don’t know you anymore,” her mother cried, tears spilling down her face. Her hands moved over her swollen stomach, protecting the baby within. Leia felt a warm pressure wash over her, as if her mother’s hands held her now. “ _ Anakin _ . You’re breaking my heart.”

Leia felt her tears fall.  _ Anakin. Anakin Skywalker _ . She looked up at him, seeing his expression darken. She couldn’t help but take a step away from him. “You’re going down a path I can’t follow.” 

She covered her ears as they began to argue. She began to sob alongside her mother. “Father?” She reached up to him, like she did as a child. When he would scoop her up and carry her around the base, commanding the officers and occasionally adjusting her. He had started to pace. 

“Liar!” He screamed. Leia followed his gaze, seeing a tall bearded man in the ship. She glared up at him, hating him as much as her father did in that moment. She heard him yell again, and turned around. 

Anakin’s hand was extended, shaking with passion. He had her wrapped in his Force, suffocating her. Leia screamed, collapsing to the hot ground. She watched her mother gasp for air, clutching his invisible hands with anguish. She sobbed, begging him to let her go. She knew he couldn’t hear her. The roar of the lava deafened her. 

As soon as it had started, he stopped. Her mother’s limp body crumpled to the ground. Leia crawled over, shaking her desperately. “Please wake up. This can’t be how it ends, Mother.” She pressed her head to hers, feeling the heat radiate off of her forehead. “He can’t be the one to kill you. Father loves you!” 

  
  


Leia felt leather hands wrap around her arms, shaking her awake. She gasped, grabbing her throat in horror. Her father’s robotic breathing filled her ears, his hands were firm as he pushed the hair away from her face. 

She scrambled away, her body wracked with tremors. Her cheeks were wet with tears. “You,” she growled. Vader tilted his head, reaching for her leg comfortingly. 

“I heard you crying, you were having a nightma-”

“You killed her,” she cut him off. She flinched away from his touch, hiccups echoing through her body. “You killed my mother!”

Vader was silent. He looked away from her, staring at the abandoned boots on the floor next to her bed. “I did.” She started loudly sobbing, wrapping herself around her pillow. “I did and I regret it every second.” Leia screamed; the table across her room flipped. A smooth crack shot up her mirror, cut right between the two of them. 

“I hate you,” she hoarsely whispered. He felt like she had just cut him with her lightsaber. Vader felt his tear hit the lens of his helmet. 

He swallowed, blinking away the wetness in his eyes. “I think it’s time you heard the story of Anakin Skywalker.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some angst it's good for you.


	8. The Mother

Leia found herself enchanted by the pale marble palace of Naboo. The sky was impossibly blue, and the sun was warm. A breeze fluttered the ends of her long red cape, exposing her arms to the air. She followed behind her father, her hood pinned snugly over her brow. She noticed people stealing glances at her as they breezed past, curiosity coloring their faces. She kept her chin down, as her father requested, keeping her gaze locked on the fluttering edge of his cape. 

They approached a white marble building, two armed guards stood before the large brown door. “Let us through,” her father commanded. His voice was solemn, his energy was quiet. She twisted her fingers around each other, waiting for the guards to step aside. There was hesitation, but soon she heard the door swing open. 

The mausoleum was silent. The air was lightly scented like the lake and the flowers she had seen wrapping around the massive columns in the palace. The door slowly swung shut behind her, leaving them in the dim light of the building. Leia reached up and pushed her hood back, letting her long braid swing free. She looked up at the large stained glass window. 

A woman in a blue dress was illuminated from the sunlight streaming through. She was surrounded by white flowers and had a large gold headpiece. Her lips were curved into a kind smile, and Leia could almost see a human sparkle in her brown eyes. Her eyes fell on the large stone box underneath the window. Her father slowly approached it, placing his hand on the lid. His mechanical breathing killed the sanctified silence of the tomb. “So this is her?”

“Padmé Amidala,” he said. Leia could hear the sadness in his voice. “Naboo’s best queen and finest senator.” She came closer, running her bare fingers over the ridges in the stone. She reached out for her mother’s energy, part of her desperate for a semblance of a connection with her. But there was nothing. 

“Do you think...do you think she’d like me?” Leia asked softly. Vader watched his daughter’s gaze drift up to the detailed window, the sparkle of a tear caught in her eye. 

“Leia, she would adore you. She was so excited to have you,” he came to her side, crouching down to her height. She looked at him, her lower lip starting to tremble. “She would have paraded you around in dresses that matched hers, and brushed your hair every night while telling you all the fairytales she knows.” He rubbed her arms, frowning at the goosebumps that rose on her skin. “She would have loved you more than all the stars in the galaxy.”

She couldn’t help but smile, looking back up at the window. He could sense some residual anger burrowing in her heart, feeling it start to consume the light inside of her. “Skywalker,” she mused. “Does that make me a Skywalker as well?”

Vader chuckled, pulling his daughter into a deep hug. She held him tightly, her chin resting on his hard shoulder. “The Skywalker name is dead. But Leia suits you perfectly. You don’t need a last name to prove you are one of the most powerful Force users in history.” He pulled away, squeezing her round cheek gently. 

“Happy birthday, little princess.” 

She smiled, placing her hand on her mother’s tomb. He watched a small tear roll down her cheek. “It was nice to finally meet you, mother.” He brushed her tears away, hugging her once more. 

He helped her pin the hood over her brow. And in the same way they entered, they left. Leia glanced behind her once, suppressing the urge to wave goodbye to her mother’s mausoleum.

  
  


…

Leia sat on her friend’s bed, watching him play with model fighters and make blaster noses with his mouth. He had lost his two front teeth, and had figured out how to whistle through the holes. She felt herself wiggle her loose canines with her tongue. 

“You know,” she said pointing to the TIE fighter on his floor, “I’m learning how to fly one of those.”

“You are not,” he said, putting his toy down. She sat up proudly.

“Am too.” 

He leaned forward. His bright blue eyes squinted at her. “I don’t believe you.” 

She scoffed. “My father says I might become the best pilot in the Empire.” He leaned back on his hands.

“Not if I do it before you.” His eyes flashed with challenge, making her lean forward. “What’s the first letter of your name?” He said after a tense staring contest.

Leia paused. Her father had seemed so wary the first time she told him about her friend. In his moment of silence, she had realized the two of them were never meant to meet. They were not supposed to know about each other. And she felt twangs of guilt when she kept this secret from her father. The boy had told her that his Aunt came in once during their time and figured he was paying with an imaginary friend. He refused to tell his family about her as well, claiming a “strange feeling” came over him everytime he was about to. “It’s L.”

The boy brightened up, his eyes going wide. “No way! My name starts with L too! It’s like we’re twins or something!”

She laughed. “Silly, L. Just cause our names start with the same letter doesn’t mean we are twins. Twins are supposed to look the same. We don’t even have the same hair” 

L leaned back on his heels, his face screwed up in thought. “I guess you’re right.” He crossed his arms. “I think I’ll call you L too. What’s it like flying a TIE?”

Leia smiled, ready to describe her last lessons, when she heard her Father’s telltale breathing behind her. She fell to the cold floor of her dim training room with a start. She blinked away the sunspots in her vision before turning around and scrambling to her feet; both her father and the Emperor stood before her. Her eyes darted between the two. 

The Emperor’s face curled into a discomforting smile; she tried to keep her nose from wrinkling in disgust when she saw his rotting teeth. “Leia,” he said in his raspy voice. “How is your training coming along?” 

She swallowed, glancing up at her father before speaking. “Very well, my lord. I have advanced significantly in battle strategy and in my piloting courses.” Her small hand curled around the hilt of her saber, prepped to defend herself against whatever he threw at her that day. 

“So I’ve heard.” He walked around her, his yellow eyes scanning her small shoulders. She refused to shudder under his gaze. She felt his hand pat the flat top of her bun. “Lord Vader has told me you heard the story of Skywalker.” 

“Yes, my lord,” she said softly. Anger, frustration, fear pinged around her heart. She thought of her father’s hand choking her mother to death, the battle that he fought with the blasted Jedi. The Jedi that had driven him to do that to her mother. Part of her knew she would never forgive him. Part of her wondered what else he could possibly be keeping from her. Palpatine chuckled knowingly.

“Good, Leia. I sense your feelings have matured since.”

“Yes, my lord,” Leia repeated, her glare shooting up to her father. His helmet remained impassive, but she felt his sadness grow within. She tore her eyes away, looking up at Palpatine with a cocked eyebrow. 

“And you are ten now?”

“So my father tells me.” 

He nodded looking to Vader with a scary grin. “She will begin appearing in public alongside us. Leia needs to be exposed to politics properly.” 

Vader clenched his jaw tightly. He wanted to say no. He wanted to keep her tucked away, safe and hidden. The galaxy had finally stopped hunting for her. He knew that if she reappeared, his daughter could be stolen away. He feared for the child, knowing if she appeared bounties would be put on her head. He could almost see it now. “Yes, my lord,” he hissed out. Palpatine patted his shoulder before stalking out of the room.

Leia took his hand, looking up at him with her giant brown eyes. She was short for her age, her head barely hitting his upper thigh. He crouched down, placing his heavy hands on her shoulders. “Leia. We can ask him to wait another year, if you are not comfota-”

“I’m ready,” she said. She squared her shoulders, her head held high. He could see the graces of Padmé blooming on her young face. But he saw her eyes held a fire he had only seen in himself. He could sense her hunger for freedom; the prospect of something beyond the metal walls of the ship made her ambitions roar.

Vader nodded his head. “I suppose I can’t keep you sheltered here forever, little one.” He stroked her cheek, smiling as she leaned her head into it. She wrapped her small arms around him, her joy radiating through their connection. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Hi! long time between updates I know, and I'm sorry. A lot happened in a very short amount of time and I had to put my writing on the backburner for a few weeks. But thank you so much for continuing to support me and my story! It means the ABSOLUTE world to me too see all of the kind comments and people's love for this AU I'm creating. 
> 
> This is a bridge chapter to fit the ending of last chapter and the beginning of the next one together smoothly. It's a little shorter than the others, but important none the less! And we are starting to put together the Skywalker family because e need them in our lives! I hope you enjoyed!!


	9. The Senate

She had never walked the streets of Coruscant before; always confined to her father’s apartments, watching the bustling city from above. Her father warned her to keep her hood pulled over her eyes, and her head straight forward. “Do not interact with anyone, no matter what they say,” he demanded, watching her handmaid secure her long hair into two regal buns on the back of her head. “There will be whispers. Ignore them.” She ran her fingers over the front of her blood red dress, catching the golden stitchery with her nails.

Leia walked beside her father, her red satin shoes contrasting the white marble of the Imperial Senate. Her lightsaber swung from a simple black belt, the gold flashed in the sunlight as she walked. Her black cloak swung behind her as she walked, keeping a close eye on her father’s movements. Eyes fell on her, and her hand itched to reach for his. She looked up once, her eyes followed the graceful arch of the dome of the building. Her hood threatened to slip back, but she sharply looked to the hem of her father’s cape.

People froze as they walked by, bowing their heads and saluting when they passed. Fear stirred within them, she could sense it. But their lingering sense of curiosity tickled the back of her head as she stalked by. They whispered about her softly. She could see their eyes trying to pry underneath her dark hood. Vader looked down at her, a soothing energy washed over her. She could imagine her father smiling down at her, gently patting her hair with his heavy hand. He stood aside at the archway and motioned for her to enter before him.

Leia looked back at the crowd staring up at her before being absorbed by the shadows of the Senate building. Her father stalked behind her; he had seen the curious stares and heard the whispers floating through the crowd. _“Who is that? I never knew Darth Vader had a ward._ ” He placed a hand on her shoulder guiding her down a flight of carpeted stairs. She gazed up at the walls, her eyes bright with wonder. Her hood slipped back, the gold barrette in her hair catching the faint sunlight. “It’s beautiful,” she said in a hushed voice.

Vader didn’t respond. He watched her delicately walk down the stairs, her red shoes softly padding the carpet. He noticed disgruntled Senators coming their way, led by Bail Organa. Vader turned his head away from his daughter, glaring over at them in silence.

Leia approached her father, bored of the white statues on the wall. She gently wrapped her hand around his, squeezing as tight as she could. He stared down an older man with deeply tanned skin and purple robes. She peeked out from behind his leg, eyeing the man suspiciously. Something in her head called for him, the faintest memory of the man smiling down at her and picking her up with a laugh crossed her mind. But the greying figure standing there didn’t seem like the man she just saw.

Bail looked down at the girl dressed in red, her bright brown eyes twinkled in the fading sunlight. Her face had thinned, and it seemed like a permanent scowl had been etched into her brow. “Leia?” he whispered, his hand covering his mouth quickly. His eyes shot to the impassive Vader, worried that the robotic monster had heard his words. Vader turned towards the little girl, pulling her hood up sharply. Bail watched him hold her hand and guide her down the staircase, disappearing out of his view quickly.

“Who was that, father?” Leia asked casually, looking around with a smile.

He admired her childish curiosity. “Senator Bail Organa,” he answered.

“Why was he staring like that?”

Vader stopped, trying to think of a response. “He and I have known each other for a very long time. He was very close friends with your mother, and he was very upset to lose her.” She frowned for a moment, her face darkened and her eyes grew serious. But as quickly as it came, it was gone, her face filled with wonder again. They stopped before a large metal door. “Leia. Leave your hood on for the entire meeting, and do not fidget.”

“Yes, father,” she said seriously.

He opened the door, seeing Palpatine and Tarkin already standing on the large Emperor’s platform. He guided his daughter to a seat on the back of the platform, pointing a finger in her face. She nodded at the warning, pulling the fabric over her eyes with a smile. She crossed her ankles politely, admiring the decor of Palpatine’s grand office. _Once a princess, always a princess_ , he thought to himself as he stood beside the Emperor.

The old man turned around, his yellow eyes glowing from within his hood. “I’m glad you joined us, Leia. Are you ready?”

“Yes, master.”

The platform raised smoothly, slowly exposing the group to the massive Senate. Leia looked around for a moment, barely containing her gasp of excitement. She smiled to herself before looking forward, hiding her face from the crowd of shouting people.

Electricity buzzed within her skin as the meeting commenced. She felt all eyes drifting towards her, but snapping back to the Emperor. He spoke loudly about the state of the galaxy, his rickety old voice sounding almost young in the echoing chamber. Her ears perked up as a floating platform approached. She slowly looked around her father, seeing Organa leaning on the front railing. His eyes flicked to her, a familiar softness lit his brown eyes.

Just as quickly as he saw her, he looked away, staring down the Emperor. They began debating the state of a so-called, “rebellion” rising amongst the people in the galaxy. Leia listened carefully. Attacks on Imperial ships, the assassinations of renowned generals and leaders, destroyed bases. Suspicion was being cast on the disgruntled senators. Leia watched Organa’s face twitch in annoyance. “Who are you accusing, my lord? I can personally investigate on behalf of the Empire.”

She could almost hear Palpatine’s smile spreading across his wrinkled face. “Governor Tarkin will send you a list at the end of this meeting, Senator. Thank you.” Organa bowed his head respectfully. His platform backed away, his eyes darted to hers. She felt him study her, making her shift uncomfortably in her seat.

Vader watched Organa pull away, resisting the urge to cover his daughter.

Leia tossed the new words around in her head. _Rebellion. Assasination. Traitors._ The meeting continued, but she couldn’t take her mind off of the concept of a rebellion. Part of her admired the brave few who decided they no longer wanted to take orders from the old man, she never wanted to either.

_Rebellion_ , she mouthed to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time, no update! I know. But I hope you all enjoy this chapter, Leia is growing up quickly! Things are going to get more intense in the coming chapters and SOON we will be in A New Hope so that's exciting.


	10. The Sand Planet

Tatooine was a desert hellscape, and no place to raise children. Obi Wan had come to that conclusion over the years. He looked out over the dunes, watching Luke from a distance. The boy was nine now, and had grown lankier and blonder than he had expected. He looked exactly like Anakin did, down to the optimistic glitter in his blue eyes. He watched him march across the sand, pulling a broken down droid behind him on a piece of scrap metal. 

An expensive ship landed beside his hut, he turned quickly, smoothing back his rapidly greying hair. Bail Organa stepped out, looking haggard. Obi Wan rushed towards him. “Obi Wan,” Organa said, his voice was rough. He looked around before guiding the man into his home. 

Bail collapsed onto a clay stool, holding his head in his hands. “Well I would ask you how you are, but I can draw my own conclusions. I thought we agreed to never see each other again.” 

“He has her,” Bail whispered. 

Obi Wan froze, pulling his worn brown robe closer to his body. A sudden chill lingered in the air. “What do you mean?”

“Darth Vader has my daughter.”

Kenobi sat beside him. “That’s impossible. How could this have happened?” 

Bail smoothed back his peppered hair, stress lines painted his face. Obi Wan knew the years had worn him down, but Bail seemed to have aged almost twenty years since he had last seen him.

“He came when she was three,” Bail started. “I scoured the galaxy for her for years, but after so long, I thought he had killed her.” He shook his head. “He murders indiscriminately, why would Leia be any different? He couldn’t have known she was his.” 

“Does he know about Luke?” Obi Wan whispered harshly. 

Bail shrugged, before shaking his head. “He only knew about her. If he wanted Luke, he would’ve found him by now.” He looked up at him, his dark eyes sparkled with tears. He was tired. He was worn ragged by the loss of his daughter. “Can you help me, Obi Wan?”

“It’s Ben,” he corrected sharply. He stroked his greying beard. “It’s Ben now. And the boy is safe, as long as I watch over him. Nobody knew she carried twins.” Bail stood quickly, his face was pale. “I’m sorry old friend, there’s nothing I can do for Leia now.” 

He nodded, heading towards the doorway. A little blonde boy stuck his head around the corner; he was missing his front teeth, and his blue eyes sparkled in the light. His nose was pink with sunburn, and small freckles dotted his cheeks. Bail looked down at him in surprise. “Hey Ben,” he said happily, waving to Kenobi. 

“Ah, Luke,” he said motioning him into the hut. “This is my friend, say hello.” Luke waved up to Bail with a toothy, sweet smile; he had his mother’s grin. He held out a covered canister and a plate. “Aunt Beru said to give these to you.” 

Obi Wan took the supplies with a kind smile. “Thank you, Luke. Run along now.” The blonde boy waved goodbye as he ran back into the sands. 

“He takes after his father.” 

Kenobi nodded sadly. “Yes. But he’s very sweet. Much like his mother.” 

Bail chuckled to himself. “You know, it’s funny.” Kenobi walked him to his shining ship. “Leia was-is...so beautiful. But she threw tantrums like a little bantha.” 

They looked out over the dunes, watching the boy stomp down the sand. 

…

Luke jumped in surprise when his friend materialized before him; her brown eyes were stern as ever. Her face melted into a wide smile when she saw him. They had both grown older over the years. Her face had grown thinner, the arch of her brow more sarcastic. Luke barely hid his annoyance when he realized she was taller than him. She stood in front of his bed. Her black robes contrasted the tan walls, even in the dimness of the night. 

“Happy birthday,” she said softly. He looked over at the old datapad by his bed, 00:00

“You too, L,” he said. She looked away for a moment, her figure flickered. She seemed to be listening to something. “Is something wrong?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so.” 

Luke tilted his head. “What are you thinking about?”

“I am being tested tomorrow. Just to ensure my training is going the way it is supposed to.”

“Will it be dangerous?”

She winked. “Not with my skills.” Luke let out a quiet laugh, suddenly very conscious of the way his voice had been cracking recently. “I keep being told that thirteen is a very important age for someone like me, I hope it means I get to start making my own choices.”

Luke brushed his hand against hers. It was the only tangible part of her sometimes. “You’re going to do great, L. Hopefully, Uncle Owen starts letting up on me too. I want to leave so badly, I’m almost willing to join the Empire.”

She pulled back. “What’s wrong with the Empire?” 

Before he could respond, he heard mechanical breathing, and saw a glimpse of the room she stood in. There were illuminated walls behind her, and the light reflected off of the dark grey metal. She looked away. Towards a figure he couldn’t see. Her face was serious. “I have to go.”

“No wait,” he said, but as he reached for her her figure vanished, leaving him alone in his bedroom. His hand fell on his thin sheets. And once again Luke was alone with only his heartbeat to keep him company. 

...

Leia swung her crimson saber sharply, cutting down the man in front of her. His scream rang in her ears as the battle raged around her. Red and blue blaster darts flew past her, hitting the tall grass they waded through. She adjusted the metal mask covering her nose and mouth, before catching the rebel rushing towards her in her Force. He grasped his neck choking for air, wheezing when she passed her blade through him. Leia climbed onto the waiting ship, nodding to the pilot. The door lifted shut behind her, and they shot off into the atmosphere. 

She pulled off the heavy metal mask, dropping it onto the floor with a clunk. She patted the braided crown on her head, brushing the fly aways from her eyes. “Ready to jump to lightspeed, my lady.” 

“Proceed.” 

  
  


Vader waited for his daughter to return. He would be holding his breath if it wasn’t forcibly being pushed through him. His vitals monitor blinked to life beside him, his orb filling with white light.  _ Warning. Elevated heartbeat _ , the machine said in a calm voice. He ran his mechanical hand over his scarred face. 

She was taking too long. This was supposed to be an in and out mission.  _ Had Palpatine set her up?  _ Vader shook the loud thought from his head. No, he had to trust his master. They had the same goal for Leia, to make her stronger. She needed to fight in order to be stronger.  _ But she’s been gone for hours. What if she was captured? What if… _ he smacked his head before he could finish that thought. No. Leia was his daughter, she wouldn’t lose. 

The commlink on his suit blinked to life with a chipper buzz. “Lord Vader, your daughter has returned.” 

  
  


Leia stalked down the hall, her pants ripped and her arm singed by a blaster bolt. Her mask swung in her hand, the golden accents catching the sterile light. People scurried out of her way as she passed, saluting hurriedly. She didn’t even bother to turn her head. 

Vader marched around the corner, barely acknowledging the officers diving out of his way. He sensed Leia approaching, her energy stirred with agitation. She found him, her chin raised proudly. He saw the wobble of her lower lip, and the reflection of tears in her bright eyes. Her black sleeve had been ripped, revealing a red burn on her pale skin. Her knee was bleeding, and it looked like her mask had bruised the bridge of her nose. 

But she was alive, and in one piece. Vader placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he could hear tiny sniffles. He smoothed her frizzy hair, trying to calm her. “Did you get it?” 

She pulled away, wiping her irritated face with her leather gloves. She reached into the pocket of her blet, pulling out a white data cartridge. “The facility was easy to break into, but hard to escape.” 

He crouched down, gently taking the data from her. She smiled when he gently squeezed her cheek. “I’m so proud of you, Leia.” She leaned her head into his hand; her eyes were red rimmed, tear tracks cut through the layer of grunge on her face. “Go get cleaned up before we report.” 

Vader entered the command center. Tarkin stood in front of the windows, looking out over the stars and occasionally barking orders at the grey clad officers. He stood beside the man, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Tarkin,” he said smoothly. 

The older man turned his head towards him, acknowledging him with a polite nod. “Was your daughter successful? Or are you about to tell me to send out more of my soldiers?” He didn’t miss the condescending tone, or the spike of protective anger that shot up his spine. 

When Leia figured out how to tie things with the force, she had made it her personal mission to agitate and embarrass the old man. Multiple times his boots would be tied to each other, sending him tumbling to the ground, or would randomly come undone as he was walking across the bridge. But she was seven, and Vader excused it as childish antics. Tarkin (despite Leia being a quarter of his age) took it personally, and never missed an opportunity to criticize her to both to her face and to her father. 

“Extremely,” Vader said, handing him the white data. “In and out with only two deaths.”

“Well she only took one squad. Eight out of ten is still only 80%,” Tarkin snarked. “Besides, two of them were pilots. Which means she was actually only working with eight to begin with. Losing two troopers and only returning with six? Well those odds aren’t very positive, are they?” 

Vader couldn’t suppress his eye roll. “We all know your ‘odds’ have been rather abysmal over the years. But of course a general of your caliber only remembers the battles that were won.” Tarkin sputtered, and Vader smirked underneath his helmet. As he was about to fire back, the bridge’s doors slid open. 

Leia appeared next to her father, her hair secured in a braided bun on top of her head. Her white dress floated around her, offset by the wide black belt on her waist. Her sleeves were sheer, showing the white bandage wrapped around her bicep. Her golden weapon rested on her hip. Though her face was clean, a purpleing line rested over the bridge of her nose, and it looked like she hadn’t slept in a while. She glared up at Tarkin, a spark of mischief let behind her eyes. 

“If it isn’t our little princess,” he said in a strained voice. She faked a small smile.

“And if it isn’t our fearless general,” she mocked, imitating his accent. “Have you won many battles today?” Vader put a hand on her spine, trying not to laugh at her pitchy tone. Tarkin glared down at her before holding up her white data stick. 

“Thank you, Leia, for delivering the information we asked for,” he said stiffly. He breezed past the two of them, his hands clasped behind his back. “We should head to debriefing, and report to the Emperor.” Leia smirked up at her father, her eyebrow raised playfully. 

“Don’t you dare, Leia,” he warned, his voice betraying his laughter. She considered it for a moment, but shrugged and squared her shoulders. 

“Not today,” she said as they started towards the elevators. “But you won’t be able to stop me for very long.” They stood beside each other, falling into silence. 

“How are your wounds?” He asked softly, glancing down at her. “Did you have a droid dress them, or did you do it yourself?” She smiled, looking down at the metal floor. 

“A droid dressed them. But they were surface wounds, nothing severe.” Vader nodded, standing straight. She looked up at him. He could sense that she had a question and slowly turned his head to her. “Do you ever have nightmares?” 

Vader stared down at her, a brief moment of panic spiked through him. “Not in many years. Why?”

She looked forward again, her brow furrowed. “I’ll grow out of them eventually, right?” He rested his hand on her shoulder. 

“Yes, Leia. One day.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter this time! Luke and Leia are now 12, hitting completely different stages in their young lives, and shit is getting real. Thank you for all the love, and thank you for reading and sharing!


	11. The Empress in Training

Leia jumped in surprise, her mother appeared behind her in the mirror. Her fist tightened around the hilt of her saber as she swung it around, stopping just short of her mother’s neck. 

Padme’s eyes were washed white, sunken like her cheeks. Her skin was ghostly pale and her blue dress floated around her like she was suspended in water. “Hello, Leia.”

“Go away,” she hissed. Her blade hummed in the silence of the room. She tilted her head at her daughter, her lips curled into a kind smile.

“Is that any way to speak to your mother?” 

Leia’s hand shook, and slowly she lowered her blade. It hummed for a moment longer before deignighting. She secured it on her waist; her eyes didn’t leave the woman standing before her. Padme placed her cold hands on her shoulders, the chill of death sinking through her sleeves. 

She repressed a shudder. She was slowly turned, looking at the two of them in the mirror. Her mother rested her chin on her shoulder. Through the glass, she looked exactly like how her father had shown her. Healthy brown curls, bright brown eyes. Her smile could light up the room. Nothing like the specter gripping her arms. Leia was starting to see a resemblance. “It’s such a shame you have my face,” Padme hissed in her ear, her face suddenly becoming angry. 

Leia stared at her, pain hitting her chest. “What do you mean?” Her mother’s nails dug into the fabric of her tunic, pricking at her chilled skin. 

Padme smiled again, but something sinister lurked beneath it. Leia screamed as she was shoved forward, ready to smash the glass. But she fell through, landing on a burning planet. She coughed, struggling to stand. 

_ Mustafar _ , she thought to herself as she fought to her feet. She wiped the burning ash from her eyes, surprised to see her mother walking towards her. 

Padme held up a shattered piece of her mirror, forcing Leia to gaze into it. Her eyes burned yellow, her brow was furrowed in intense anger. She jerked away, rubbing at her eyes hoping the color would go away. “But at least you’ll have his eyes. After all, it is in your blood.” 

“Stop,” Leia demanded, trying to scoot away. Her mother kicked her in the chest, sending her sprawling back on the hot stone. 

“ _ Amidala _ ,” she huffed, kicking her again. Leia doubled over in pain. “You tarnished my name just by being born. I would have never claimed you.” She planted a bare foot on Leia’s chest, pinning her down. “And  _ Skywalker _ , a name that commands respect. The greatest general in the Republic’s army. But you ruined that one too. Your father must be so ashamed. A weak girl, with a weak will, and no power. If only we had a son.” 

Leia screamed and lashed out through the Force, sending her mother flying backwards. She reached out, feeling how easily her mother’s neck called to her power. Without hesitation, Leia gripped, squeezing tighter and tighter. Tears pricked her yellow eyes. Padme choked, gripping at her invisible hand. 

And just as quickly as she lost her temper, Leia dropped her to the ground. “This is just a nightmare. You’re dead.”

“Is anyone ever really dead, Leia?” 

  
  
  


Leia jerked awake, her chest heaving. Her room was dark, the sound of passing speeders filled the room. She called her saber to her hand, illuminating it quickly. She was alone. With a sigh, the saber fell to the floor. She fell backwards onto her pillows. 

_ Maybe she is right. She keeps saying it, it must be true _ , she thought as she covered up her eyes. Tears bubbled underneath her fingers. She let out a quiet sob, her mother’s words echoed in her ears. 

_ If only we had a son. _

Her nightmares were always worse on Coruscant. Most of the time her mother appeared to her. But she had seen Anakin before, telling her similar phrases. He had fought her the entire dream. His bright blue lightsaber cutting in front of her eyes; leaving stinging scratches on her arms. She rolled over, staring at the lights of Coruscant through the slats of her window. 

Vader sensed her wake, noticing the dark energy swirling through his daughter. The hologram of Palpatine wavered suddenly when he stood. “What is the problem, Lord Vader?” he asked. Vader swallowed dryly, trying to dismiss his worry. 

“There is no problem, master,” he said, sinking back into his bow. Palpatine tilted his head with a small grin. 

“Before the Senate meeting today, I will need to speak to Leia alone,” he croaked out. Vader grit his teeth beneath his mask. “You will handle Crimson Dawn on Corellia. We need to speak to their new leader.” 

“Yes, master.” 

  
  
  


Leia swirled past the chatting Senators, her Imperial black boots stomping up the stairs. Her black gown swirled behind her like a cloud; the golden threads stitching it together caught the brilliant sunlight. Her long brown hair was elegantly wrapped in a braided crown. 

She walked alone, parting the crowd like the sea. Dark shadows clouded her face, red rimmed her bright brown eyes. And her beautiful face was drawn into a sour glare, causing Senators to cast their eyes to her feet. Except for one.

“Senator Organa,” Leia said in a monotone voice. She extended her gloved hand, smirking as he bowed to it. His hair was almost entirely white, a few deep wrinkles carved into his face. He smiled kindly to her as he straightened; his fist clenched around an ornate wooden cane. 

“Lady Leia. It is always a perfect day when you grace the Senate with your beauty.” 

She felt her smile twitch a little wider. “I am not susceptible to flattery, Senator.” He offered his arm, escorting her into the shaded building. Leia had always felt a sort of fondness for the old Senator, much to her father’s annoyance. But she had never put her finger on why; she brushed it off to his kindly face. 

“Where is Lord Vader?” he asked. She held her chin high, glaring at the people who dared to stare. 

“He has his own matters to attend to. I came alone for a reason,” she snapped. Organa let out a chuckle.  _ She kept her attitude _ , he thought fondly to himself. He desperately wanted to embrace his daughter, dig out the happy little girl he used to carry on his shoulders. But the Leia on his arm wasn’t that little girl; she was a killer, an Empress in the making, a product of the man raising her. He wondered if she was loved after she was kidnapped, if she ever got another hug or if Vader even noticed her presence. She was angry, anyone with eyes could see that, but he wondered how she got there. 

“Well,” he said as he released her arm, the ornate door to the Emperor’s office gleamed in the dim sunlight. “I speak for all the Senators when I say, we are very happy to have you here today. Are you going to be speaking?”

She looked at the door, as if she was listening to something he couldn’t hear. “Perhaps. Thank you for the escort, Senator Organa.” Before he could say anything else she nodded to the red clad Imperial guards. They swung the heavy doors open, allowing her to enter. 

The Emperor looked up from his meeting with Tarkin, his creaking voice suddenly falling silent as she entered. Tarkin soured at her entrance before standing and bowing to her respectfully. She dipped her head, hiding her smirk with her leather clad hand. 

“Emperor Palpatine, Moff Tarkin,” she acknowledged in a low voice. Her father’s master grinned at her. Leia had grown more subtle in repressing her shudder whenever he looked at her. But her stomach still turned whenever he looked at her directly. 

“Leia,” he croaked, motioning her to the other chair. She sat gently, adjusting the saber resting on her hip. “I am glad you decided to join us here today, instead of joining your father on the battlefield.” 

She faked a sweet smile. “It is my pleasure, my lord.” Tarkin slid a glowing datapad to her. She picked it up, scanning through the documents. “So we are addressing the Rebel Alliance today? Or questioning the Senators suspected of leading it?”

“You will be addressing the Senate today, speaking on both of those matters.” Leia’s head shot up, her brow furrowed. 

“My lord, I do not have a speech prepared, you cannot possibly expect-”

“Not only do I expect it. I am demanding it,” Palpatine said softly. “You will speak today, and you will tell them of our recent efforts to squash the Rebels.” Tarkin glared at her out of the corner of his eye. Her mind was racing, trying to compose a compelling speech. “You are the Empire’s only hope, Leia.” 

She looked into his yellow eyes, fear swarmed her brain. She stood quickly, masking it as soon as it came to her face. She held the datapad to her chest as she bowed deeply. Tarkin offered his arm, guiding her to the Emperor’s platform. He stood beside her, his arm anchoring her in the present. Leia mentally reached for her father, wishing he hadn’t left her alone. She tightened her grip on Tarkin’s bicep as the platform began to rise. 

The Senate fell into a stony hush. Hundreds of eyes glared down at her, waiting for the hammer to drop. The platform smoothly stopped. Tarkin looked down at her, firmly nodding. She unlooped her arm from his, stepping forward with her chin held high. 

“Senators.” Her voice echoed through the dome. It was strong, and didn’t shake with her nerves. The Imperial Senate rested in the palm of her hand. And Leia relished that power. “The Rebel Alliance’s actions have become increasingly violent. And now, with recent attacks on Imperial planets, the Emperor is beginning to wonder if Senators are informing this terrorist organization.” 

A sullen whisper washed over the crowd. She watched a few pale suddenly, while others looked suspiciously around. “As someone who has seen the atrocities first hand, I am here to urge you,” she paused for a second, finding Organa’s eyes. He nodded encouragingly at her. “I am here to urge you to not only investigate your fellow Senators, but be willing to report them to the Emperor.” 

Within a moment, uproar erupted around her. She clenched her fists under the lip of the platform. People argued back and forth, some turned and screamed at her, demanding the Emperor address them himself. Tarkin stepped forward to her side, his wrinkled face pinched. 

“Silence,” he commanded loudly. Everyone jerked back into their seats, the silence was deafening. “The Emperor appointed Leia to relay these news, be grateful she is giving you the opportunity to handle this amongst yourselves. The Emperor and I already have our suspicions, be assured we will not handle this as diplomatically as her.” 

She glared up at him, waiting for him to finish. The silence roared in her ears for a moment; she opened her mouth to finish. “Senators, you are dismissed.” 

Nobody moved, staring open mouthed at her. Her jaw clenched, before she could repeat herself Tarkin cut in again. “Dismissed.” As if a spell were broken, the Senate dispersed. 

She glanced up again, noticing Organa speaking with his associates. He turned to her and bowed his head, a glint danced in his eye. The platform sank into the floor, closing her off from the room. 

She stepped down, stomping away. “You must learn how to control not only your temper, but how to command a room,” his accent grated her ears. She stopped.

“I had it under control,” she lied. Her hands shook and her head pounded. 

He chuckled heartlessly. “Under control? You nearly incited a riot. What were you thinking?”

She resisted the urge to turn around. She crossed her arms in front of her. “Your suspicions were unfounded rumors. They will be clamoring to save face, and you can interview them one on one. I was trying to help.” 

He grabbed her arm, the cold of his hand sinking through her sleeve. Leia jerked away, but he grabbed her again and spun her to face him. “Trying to help? You just ensured-”

“I just ensured you and your darling Emperor will have a line of Senators knocking at your door within the next rotation.” She spoke softly, but the edge in her voice could cut glass. “If you had a different plan, you should have informed me. Let. Go.” 

His hand tightened. “Your father has babied and protected you for too long. Your nose is too far in the air to recognize your own faults.” Leia’s brain screamed for her to just throw him; grab him by his neck and choke him until his eyes popped. “You will never be a true leader. You’ll always be left in the shadow of your father.” 

She pried herself free of his grip. “Do not test me, Tarkin.” She slapped away his hands, stepping quickly towards the door. He tried to follow her, only to be stopped by her Force. 

“You’re just a spoiled brat,” he shot at her. Leia stopped at the door, looking at the two guards blocking her. 

She turned around, a fake smile alighting her face. “And you are just a frightened old man. Have you ever considered that my father was protecting  _ you _ from me?” She nodded to the guards, watching the orange sunlight stream in from the opening doors. “Mercy is not part of my nature.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leia facing the big world on her own!! She has aged up since the last chapter she is almost 16, and feeling a little angsty.


	12. The Divide

Luke reached for the feeling in his chest, holding an image of his friend in his mind. “L,” he whispered, trying to call out to her. It had been years. The connection they once had fell dull, like an abandoned spark in a dark room. He grit his teeth reaching again, trying to remember the warm feeling of her presence. 

“Luke,” his aunt called, yanking him out of his meditation. “Ben is here, come say hi.” He rolled his eyes, pushing his sun bleached hair away from his face. He leaped off his bed and rushed into the kitchen, seeing the old man sitting in a chair. 

“Luke,” he greeted, his bright blue eyes twinkled.

“Hey, Ben!” He said. He sat on the chair beside him and poured himself a cup of blue milk. Beru smiled and ruffled his long hair. 

“It’s about time for a cut, young man,” she teased and pressed a kiss on the top of his head. “I am heading out, your uncle and I have to head into town for some parts. Keep Ben company?” 

Luke nodded. Ben leaned back, wrapping his dark brown cloak tighter around himself. “So, Luke. What have you been up to?”

He shrugged, poking at his dinner. “Same old, same old really. Uncle Owen is making me take on more responsibility for this year’s harvest. Wants to hire fewer hands.” He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully for a second. “I’m fixing up a speeder I found in the desert. And I’m working on my piloting, so I can get out of here in a couple of years.” 

“You are sixteen now?” Ben asked, shifting in his seat. His eyes were trained on Luke, watching his scarf down his meal. His own food sat untouched in front of him. Luke nodded, wiping his face with the back of his hand. “I remember being that age.”

“Must feel like a long time ago,” Luke mumbled into his cup. “What did you do before?”

Ben motioned vaguely, avoiding his gaze. “Odd jobs. Here and there.” Luke set his cup down, turning towards the old man. 

“Have you always lived here?” 

Ben looked at Luke, there was a deep sadness in his eyes that Luke hadn’t seen before. Most of his hair was white, and wrinkles cut through his face. His jaw was tense, as if he were thinking about his answer. “No, I grew up on Coruscant. But that’s not a conversation for today.”  _ You look exactly like him. Ani would be so proud. _

Luke’s brows furrowed for a moment, he opened his mouth to speak but decided against it. They were silent for a few moments before Luke jerked his attention across the room. Ben followed his gaze, sensing a dramatic shift. 

“L?” Luke called out, standing and rushing off towards his room. Ben waited for a moment before following. Luke stood in his doorway, tears in his blue eyes. 

“Luke,” Ben said, placing his hand on his frail shoulder. The blond boy pushed his hand away, heading back to the kitchen. Ben looked around the room, his senses became overwhelmed with the dark side. He looked back at the teary eyed Luke. “What was that?”

Luke shook his head, wiping away the tear on his face. “I don’t know. I really don’t know how to explain it to you.” Ben guided him back to the table and sat across from him. 

“Go ahead and try,” he said softly, sliding his meal in front of Luke and pouring him another glass of milk. Luke took a deep breath and started to tell the old man about the visions of his friend. 

  
  
  


Ben leaned back. “So you just saw her now, and she told you to?”

“Forget about her. And never reach for her again,” he said softly. “It was so different. She was so different, there is something wrong.” Ben nodded. 

“Have you ever heard about the Force?” he asked, adjusting his cloak again. The sunset was coming quickly, the Skywalkers would be home soon. Luke shook his head. “It is the energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.” He leaned back in his chair, watching the curiosity rise on Luke’s face. “There are certain people in the galaxy that can harness this energy, and use it to give themselves power.” 

“How do you know this?”

Ben motioned for him to be quiet, smiling kindly. “There are people who use the Light side, who devote themselves to selflessness. Unconditional love. Peace,” he said. His eyes took on the sad, faraway look again. “And there are those who use the Dark. The selfish. They use the Force to hurt others. And they control the Empire.”

Luke’s eyes widened. “Are you saying?”

Ben nodded. “Your friend, L, is a Dark side practitioner. She isn’t who you think she is, and has been lying to you for years.”

“But we were just children.”

“She might not have been a child at all. Lies come easily to the dark side, that’s how they’ve drawn so many in.” Luke looked away, chewing on the pad of his thumb. Ben stood, clapping his shoulder. “Come to me tomorrow evening, after your chores. I’ll teach you how to resist their lies.” 

Owen and Beru came in, chatting excitedly. “Ben Kenobi,” Owen said, his conversation with his wife stopped abruptly. Ben smiled at him and extended his hand. “Were you just leaving?”

“Yes,” Ben said looking back at Luke. The blond boy smiled excitedly at him. “Luke and I were just keeping each other company.” 

Owen nodded. “Well I’ll walk you out.” Ben nodded and kissed Beru’s cheek as he left, 

“Goodnight.” 

  
  
  


Leia opened her eyes, tears dripped down her face. She kneeled before Palpatine; he smirked down at her from his metal throne. The ship overlooked the nearly complete Death Star, the only home she had ever known. Her pants couldn’t keep out the chill of the cold floor from sinking into her bones. Her father had always lectured her on the chill of space and the importance of layers. 

Palpatine pressed his wrinkled fingertips together, watching her with his sinister yellow eyes. “Leia,” he finally said. She raised her head, her fingers gripping the fabric of the pants on her sore knees. “You’ve done very well. You are showing the markings of a very powerful leader.”

“Thank you, my lord,” she whispered. She felt her father’s absence deep in her soul, he still hadn’t returned from the mission his master had sent him on. 

“Have you cut ties with the boy?”

One of her tears splashed on the floor. “Yes,” she finally responded, her voice shook. Palpatine nodded, his rotting teeth showing as he smiled. 

“Excellent work, Leia.” She grit her teeth, struggling to suppress her anger. There was a beat of silence. “Your thoughts are loud. You are upset? After all I have given you?”

She shifted and bit her cheek. “How much longer do you plan to isolate me? I haven’t seen my father in several rotations, and now you forced me to cut off the only friend I ever had.” He motioned for her to stand. As she righted herself, her golden lightsaber flew off its belt and into his gnarled hands. Leia reached for it but slowly lowered her hand. 

“Anakin was dependent on the people he loved too,” he snarled. He ignited her saber smoothly, twirling it once. “They all died in the end. Except for you.” She blinked, taking a step back. Fear rose in her heart. “You were too stubborn to die with your mother.”

“I’ve been told my stubbornness is one of my better qualities.”

He sneered at her. “You get it from your father. You get a lot of things from him.” He stepped down, shuffling over to her. Despite his hunched stature, he still stood taller than her. Her lightsaber hummed in the silence. He pointed it under her chin. She cocked an eyebrow, feigning confidence and disinterest. The heat of her saber bounced off of her skin. Palpatine smiled again before turning the saber off. He handed the hilt to her, chuckling when her hand shook to take it. “What do you want, Leia?”

She looked up at him. She could feel the revulsion she always felt rise when their eyes met. “My lord?” Her voice shook again. He turned from her, going back to his chair. She exhaled loudly, not realizing she had been holding her breath since he came near her. “I suppose, I want my father back home,” she answered after his silence.

He shook his head. “No, Leia. What do you  _ want _ ? There’s a pit of desire in you, it craves something. What is it?” 

_ I don’t want anything from you _ , she snapped in her head. She bit her lip to stop the sneer about to cross her face. 

“If you do not know, think about it. And tell me when you do. Dismissed.” She bowed her head before rushing out of the room. Her black cape swirled behind her, brushing trooper’s ankles as she strutted past. She wanted to go to her chambers and scream into her pillows. She needed to escape so that the tears caught in her head could fall. 

The comm on her wrist blinked red. She sighed in annoyance. “Yes, Tarkin?” 

“Please report to the bridge immediately, Leia.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the amazing comments, they really make my day! And thank you for your continued support!


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